The Weight of My Heart
by Alice1985
Summary: He knew with every beat of his heart that Hermione was the true reason and the key to his happiness. The love of his life, in this world and any other… She was just the weight of his heart. This is the untold story of Daryl and Hermione. (Mentioning of Rick/Harry, Michonne/Draco, and others.)
1. Chapter 1

DISCLAIMER: I do not claim any rights on Harry Potter or The Walking Dead... this goes for any other chapter on this story.

A/N:

In the beginning of January, I wanted to write something challenging, something that pushed me out of my comfort zone. I wanted to write a shorter story (around 50K word count) that hasn't been done yet on the FF HP/TWD Crossover…. not that I've found any actually…. and than I got his one great idea. I wrote it down, wrote more notes to see where I was going with it and then I was hooked and in the end, I just had to get this story properly written down to get it out of my system… and I came up with this story. I love it and I hope you enjoy it too

The pairing of the story is my personal challenge, since I haven't read anything like this on FF.

To make it clear for everyone. This is a Daryl/Hermione FF and the focus of the story will be entire on them, with a little side notes on the other characters.

If you don't like the idea of the pairing or are strictly against it, then you should probably leave and find another story. I won't change anything and the story has been finished, which will allow me to update twice a week, until it's completed.

A great thanks goes to uoduck, who beta reads this story. Thank you so much!

On a side note:

 _Italic writing_ = story takes place in the past

normal writing = story takes place in the present

For those of you, who like to find out with what I came up with… I hope you enjoy it and have a good time :)

* * *

 **Chapter 1**

* * *

It was not the first time that Daryl lay awake and marveled at how things at turned out. How his life had changed in the last years.

Dead people had begun to rise, killing countless living people everywhere and turning them to walkers, that is, if they weren't completely devoured or their head wasn't damaged too much. On top of that, everyone was infected and would turn to another walker once they died, as long as the brain wasn't damaged. Simply put, the world had turned to shit and yet, among this chaos and destruction, he had found the one who had made him feel things he had never thought were possible.

The one person who had become the center of his life.

Daryl couldn't keep his eyes away from her, as she slept next to him. It had taken him awhile to make himself believe that everything hadn't been just a dream, from which he never wanted to wake up. Sometimes, he needed to assure himself that she was here, with him, together, and that she loved him as well. The thought always sent his heart beat heavily in his chest.

He often felt that he wasn't worthy of her. That she could have had anyone she wanted, but she had chosen him and given him so much in return. Things he had never dared to wish for or dream about.

It made him love her even more.

The moment she had appeared in his life, he should have known that nothing would have been the same ever again.

* * *

 _Daryl led the small group through the woods. He would have preferred to do it alone, but seeing how Carol and the others looked worried for Sophia and their need to help, he let them come with him. Not one of them knew their way around the woods and going on their own would only get them lost or killed._

 _A sudden noise, a branch breaking and rustling leaves, pulled him out of his musing and made him raise his crossbow in that direction. Carol, Glenn, Lori, and Andrea, who were part of their search group quickly went silent and held their weapons ready._

 _Daryl half expected to see a walker coming from that way, but was completely taken aback, when he saw a little group come into view. Three adults, three children with Sophia in tow, who held the hand of a woman with wild curly hair._

 _"Sophia," Carol breathed in relief. "Sophia!" Carol called and rushed towards her daughter, who also ran to her mother's arms._

 _Daryl was glad that the girl had been found by the new group, but he still kept his guard up around them. He kept an eye on the new people, who had way too many kids with them. A teenage boy, around the age of Carl, and two toddlers. One looked like a carbon copy of his dad, all blond and pale as paper, and the last kid was completely dark colored and looked absolutely nothing like anyone from that group._

 _"They found me," Sophia explained, getting the attention of the others away from the new group. "Yesterday, when I ran… I-I took the wrong turn and-and there were walkers, but then I found them, well, they found me and Mr. Harry killed them quickly. They took care of me and promised me to get me back to you."_

 _"Thank you!" Carol said in a teary voice. "Thank you so much! She- She's all I've left."_

 _The new group smiled a little and the woman, the only one in the group, spoke up first and said in a calm and accented voice, "We're glad that we could help you and return your daughter safely back to you."_

 _"Who're ya guys?" Daryl spoke as he slowly lowered his weapon, while his eyes drifted to each one of the new people, even though his eyes kept drifting towards the woman, more than he should be. He couldn't see any weapons on them, which didn't mean they hadn't any with them._

 _"Oh, of course. Well, this is Harry, and our godson Teddy," she said and pointed at the black haired man with the glasses and then at the teenager, who had dark brown hair._

 _"This one is Draco and his son Scorpius," she continued and pointed at the blond father who carried an equally blond child._

 _"This here, is Andre," she pointed at the dark colored boy, who looked around the same age as the blond kid. Maybe three or less._

 _"And I'm Hermione. It's nice to meet you."_

* * *

Hermione and the others had explained from where they had come from, which had been the direction they had been heading for; Fort Benning, the U.S. Army Base. It had been overrun by the undead a few days ago and had barely made it out. On their way out, they had found Andre all alone and almost killed by walkers. Without much thought, they had taken the kid with them, when they noticed that his parents were nowhere to be found. No one would have thought that this kid was actually Michonne's son, whom she believed had died back at the refugee side of the military base. Daryl didn't even want to imagine how she must have had felt all this time, thinking her son was dead, while she was away to get supplies.

After Hermione had introduced their group to the others, Lori took it upon herself to present their own group to them, but things had turned down after they had heard the shot. Everyone had been tense, Scorpius and Andre instantly scared, but everything became quiet and the kids had calmed down. They had tried to find the Rick, Shane and Carl, and when they came out empty handed, Daryl had decided to head back. He was just about to offer the new group to come with them to the highway, when Maggie had shown up on a horse to inform them about Carl being shot down.

Lori had quickly went with Maggie, but then Hermione told them that she was a doctor and could help. Daryl hadn't understood back then, why she would help strangers like that, get involved or risk separating from her own group. Draco and Harry had looked worriedly at the thought of Hermione gone from their side, but she simply assured them that she would be fine.

Daryl had seen there that she was someone special, someone brave and strong and since Hermione couldn't ride with them on the horse as well, he had quickly offered to get Hermione there on his bike, which she had accepted without hesitation. Together they had run back to the highway, got on his bike and took off, with only a few words to Dale and T-Dog.

Hermione, as promised, had helped save Carl's life with Hershel. Only later did everyone find out that she had used her magic to keep Carl stable, until Shane returned with Otis from their supply run. In the meantime, they had used the limited non-magical medical supplies she had with herself in the backbag.

Both groups stayed at the farm after that. Not only did they need to get Carl back on feet, but also figure out a way where to go next, since they knew that Fort Benning was out of question.

He smiled a little at the memory during their stay at the farm. It had given them the opportunity to get to know each other, even it was somewhat odd for him at first.

* * *

 _Daryl sat on the ground and carved arrows, since he was running short on them. He was also pissed at Shane, who just couldn't seem to keep his fucking mouth shut. Making fun of him and Hermione, telling him that she must have been desperate to get laid to be in his presence all the time. Thinking about it made him get more and more worked up._

 _Since Shane's return from getting the medical supply, in were Ortis had died, Shane had become a righteous dick to most of the people. Hell, at some point, he even had tried to make a move on Hermione, which Daryl had seen. It had made him furious, he had almost gone over and put the jackass in his place, but then he had seen how Hermione had given him a piece of her mind and threatened to remove his balls, if he ever came near her again. Damn, had he been relieved seeing Hermione putting Shane in place. Daryl had snickered at look on Shane's face, as did T-Dog who had stood close as well._

 _Daryl had known Hermione only for over a week, but during that time they had spent quite some time together. Talked about random things, about plants, woods, animals, things on his opinion on how to survive in the woods. At first, he had thought she was just being nice to him, wanting to be friendly, since she talked with many people around at the farm, but she came more to him, he had noticed that._

 _Now, she sat before him, talking about another plant, like she was reading from a freaking encyclopedia. He actually liked it, not that he would have ever admitted that to her. Hearing her talk soothed him and he liked that she knew so much, but today, after the encounter with fucking Shane, he was rilled up._

 _"Why are you talkin' to me all the time?" Daryl instantly regretted his choice of words and the tone he spoke with. He cursed under his breath when she stood up to her full height, which would have barely reached his shoulders, if he was standing. She looked fiercely at him and said, "Because I value your opinion and enjoy your company. From what I have seen, you are the only one who would know where I could find these herbs and plants, know if they were in a good condition or not, especially, with the more delicate plants, is it difficult to deceiver if they are ready to be harvested. But if you are too busy chopping of some woods, and my company aggravate's you this much, I won't bother you again and will seek help elsewhere."_

 _She was about to turn around, when he put the wood to the side and jumped to his feet._

 _"Wait," Daryl called calmly. Hermione stopped and turned around to look back at him. She looked guarded and he could clearly see that he had hurt her, which made him feel deeply guilty about it. She had been nothing but friendly to him and taken him serious, which hadn't been most people._

 _"I'm sorry," he finally said and after a moment, Hermione nodded. Both stood silent, clearly not knowing what to do, when he spoke, "I think I know where you can find the type of Burning Bush you were looking for."_

 _It was a peace offering. Hermione had looked at him, still with her wary look and after a moment had nodded in return, to which he surprisingly, sighed in relief._

* * *

Daryl hadn't known then and there, how much things would begin to change for him. Both had begun to spend even more time together, going through the woods, searching for various plants and even wood pieces, for some old herbal based medicine, which hadn't been exactly a lie at that time. She did use them for healing potions that she would brew mostly with Draco.

Thinking of Draco, had him almost snorted out loud. He couldn't believe that he had actually been jealous at the blonde pompous jerk, not that he was a bad guy, just annoying. Especially, in the beginning. Thanks for Michonne, Draco had kept himself more in check and became more calmer. Daryl would have never thought that Michonne and Draco would actually become an item at some point, but in a weird way, they did fit together.

Daryl had actually asked Hermione, one day back at the farm, when they were making some potions, if she and Draco were together. The face she had made then, a mix between shock and disgust, was all he needed to know to get the answer even before she had denied such a 'ridiculous thing'. The relief he had felt then was unbelievable and made him for the first time wonder, what she meant to him.

He still remembered, how he had sat next to Dale, just days before he had died by a stray walker, and thought about Hermione, who had begun to become a permanent fixation of his mind.

* * *

 _Daryl sat next to the van, keeping watch around the field. Tonight, he would be with Dale and T-Dog, while Harry and Rick kept watch on the other side of the farm. For some reason, the two of them got along well, and it went unspoken that the new group joined them permanently. He liked the idea of it and if he was honest with himself, it was mostly because of Hermione._

 _This was another thing that he couldn't completely understand, the way he felt about the brown haired woman with her wild curls that became bushy the hotter the weather became. He had only known her for a few weeks and he didn't understand why he kept thinking of her. About the walks they had together in the woods, the things he explained to her and shared the knowledge of the nature and area._

 _He liked talking to her, the smiles she would give him at random things and moments. She even found him funny and laughed when he commented on something about Glenn and his boy panting crush on Hershel's daughter, Maggie. He could see it in Hermione's eyes that she was honest with him and didn't fake it. She even shared some things about her own group, their background and history together and even some personal things._

 _Daryl had been surprised at her honesty and asked her why she would tell him about the secrets of her people. She had looked at him, blushed deeply and had said that she trusted him. It had floored him and all he could do was nod in her direction, while avoiding her eyes at the same time._

 _Hermione made him feel things that he couldn't understand. All he knew was that he liked her company. She saw him somewhat as an equal to her, someone not beneath her and he had seen her with books thicker than his own arm. Anyone who could read something like that without getting bored or brain freeze, should be beneath her. She was probably the smartest person he knew and yet she never acted upon on it. Even when he flipped through one of her books, he had absently commented that there were no pictures in it and for a short moment, he had thought she would make fun of him. But all she did was smile at him, before pulling out another book with text and pictures and said that he could read it if he wanted to. It had been an encyclopedia on healing plants._

 _Daryl had simply nodded, unable to find his voice and took the book. After a little hesitation, he sat close to her and looked through the heavy book. He had barely paid attention to the pages and pictures he browsed, while he kept glancing at her, through his fallen hair over his face._

 _"You all right there, Daryl?" Dale's voice had pulled him out of his memory and he glanced back at the older man._

 _"S'all right," he spoke quickly and looked away._

 _He could hear Dale approaching him. "You look troubled. If you want to talk, I'm here."_

 _Daryl glanced at the man and pondered at the thought and in the end, just shook his head and said, "I'm just thinkin'… About the new people."_

 _Dale began to smile, which made Daryl tense up quickly, not that the older man noticed._

 _"Ah, I see," Dale said, still smiling. "It's about Hermione, isn't it."_

 _Without thinking, Daryl quickly turned around and glared at the man, speaking in a warning tone, "What about her?"_

 _Dale raised his hand in surrender, while the smile stayed on his face, "Nothing. She is just a nice young lady and I see that you both get along well."_

 _Daryl narrowed his eyes and was about to ask what he meant by it, but the older man cut him off and said calmly, "It's just nice to see you both together. She is a kind person."_

 _That was another thing that bothered him a little. He liked that Hermione was nice, but was also worried about it. Nice people get hurt in the end… and the thought of her getting hurt, unnerved him._

 _Daryl shook his head and pushed those thoughts away, before he muttered to Dale, "We ain't together." He was sure that she would never see him that way. Maybe as a friend, but never as someone more. She was out of his league. Even with everything going to shit, he was not worthy of her._

 _"Who knows, maybe one day, Daryl," Dale said, patted him once on the shoulder and left before Daryl could say anything._

* * *

He had been so confused at that time, trying to sort of his growing feelings for Hermione. Even today, after 5 years, he still felt sometimes that he wasn't worthy of her and wonders what he truly did to make her fall in love with him.

Maybe it was when he, for the first time, defended her?

* * *

 _Daryl had enough of the bitchy attitude of Lori. He had ignored the bitch from the beginning, but not anymore. Thanks to the Randall situation, Hermione and the others had revealed the magic to the others. Only Rick and he had known about it, which did happen due to a horse accident Daryl had a few days ago. She had immediately pulled out her stick, which she had explained to him as a wand and healed him as best as she could without potions._

 _He knew it wasn't life threatening, even when she insists to check his injuries out and to be sure that he was ok, even if it meant revealing her magic to him. He had been surprised, when she explained that she was a witch and when she became nervous she timidly asked what he was thinking. And in all honestly, all he could think about was the damn Chupacraba. It was the first thing he said, by asking her if the damn creature was real._

 _Hermione had blinked several times and answered him in a confused voice that the creature existed. She wondered why he had asked her about it and Daryl simply had explained, while trying to stand up, that he had seen one a few years ago. She had been shocked and shot off one question of another, which he answered all of it._

 _It was the oddest conversation he had ever had. After they were safely out of the cliff side, Hermione had looked up at him worriedly, bitting her lower lip, which had immediately captured his attention. He had actually missed what she had said. Hermione had repeated the question again, asking him if he was okay with the magic stuff._

 _Daryl was in all honestly fine with it. The dead was walking after all, and if Hermione and the others wanted to hurt anyone, they could have done it by now._

 _Hermione's eyes shone with tears and for a moment, he thought he said something wrong, until she threw herself at him and hugged him tightly. He had surprised him greatly and took him a moment to respond and hug her back, while his heart raced wildly in his chest._

 _He couldn't remember when the last time was that someone had hugged him._

 _Afterwards, the two of them went to find Harry and told him what happened. Daryl had insisted that they should tell this to Rick, which they did and thankfully after a few questions about magic, it was all good._

 _But now, this high-nosed bitch was verbally attacking them, but mostly Hermione for whatever reason, which only pissed Daryl more off. Everyone had reacted fairly calm and surprised, and asked some weird questions, but no one reacted like Lori and Shane. The bastard was quickly handled by Rick, who told him to leave and cool off. But Lori, wouldn't simply shut up._

 _"If you were so powerful, why didn't you heal my son? Saved Dale? Huh?" Lori almost screeched, which made the little kid, Andre in Hermione's arm crying into her shoulder. Even Draco's kid was upset by the noise and with a quick look at Harry, walked out, the blond wizard walked out with his son in his arms._

 _"You stood there and let Dale die! Or aren't we worth it to be saved? I bet you were responsible for the walkers in the first place and-"_

 _"Shut the hell up!" Daryl shouted and glared at Lori angrily, cutting her rant off. "Ya ain't known shit. She saved yer boy, you dumb bitch! I'm sick of your high-mighty attitude! All ya fucking do is bitch and order everyone like you're the fucking queen here!"_

 _"How dare you-"_

 _"I dare, woman! Don'cha think, I ain't seen the crap you pull around here. Gossipin' around, spreadin' bullshit about Hermione and the others, while doin' no shit for this group. I ain't playin' this fucking game no longer. So, shut your trap from now on!" Daryl told Lori angrily._

 _The whole room, in Hershel's house, went quiet at the display. Usually, Daryl would haven't had bothered whenever Lori had made herself important and let the group deal with the drama, but when she went for Hermione, he couldn't keep quiet any longer._

 _In the last days, he and Hermione had talked more about magic, what she could do with it and not. At some point, he asked if magic had been the cause of the walkers. He had been actually worried to have upset her, but she was calm about it and explained, that as far as she knew that this wasn't a magical cause. It affected magical people as well and that there was no spell or potion to detect the cause of it or stop it the transformation. Daryl hadn't asked any more about it. He believed her when she said that she didn't know about it._

 _"You let him talk to me like that, Rick?" Lori turned towards her husband and screeched further._

 _Rick glared at his wife and began to scold his wife for the way she had reacted. Daryl barely paid attention to the things they said as Hermione looked at him with a grateful smile, as her shoulder's sacked in relief._

 _"Let's get outta here," Daryl said, when Lori couldn't stop bitching to her husband and Harry, which would probably take a while before they could handle the Randall problem._

* * *

Daryl remembered the moment he had realized that he liked Hermione. It was a sudden realization, an instant feeling, like out of the blue that made it clear to him how much she was beginning to mean to him.

* * *

 _Most of the group had gathered together and to come up with a plan to see where they could settle for good, since Fort Benning was out of question, the days becoming colder and Lori end up pregnant._

 _"I say we stay here at the farm. It's safe and barely got any walkers around here," Shane suggested. "Lori and a few others can stay at the house, and the others in the barn. She will be safer there with the baby."_

 _Rick nodded thoughtfully, while frowning a little, but Daryl didn't like the plan._

 _"Ain't a good idea," he said, getting the attention of the others._

 _"What the hell do you know, man," Shane instantly rebuffed with the roll of his eyes._

 _"Would you let him speak, Shane," Hermione quickly spoke up in an angry voice, which made Daryl glance at her through his fallen hair. Her eyes glared fiercely at Shane._

 _"Defending your boyfriend, I see. Cause you have something with him, ain't makin' him to a genius," Shane sniggered and Daryl could feel the heat rushing up to his face for being put in the spot light. He looked away for a moment before he glanced back at Hermione, and he could have sworn her hair sparked for a moment._

 _"Shane," Rick spoke in a warning voice, but Hermione cut him to it._

 _"You arrogant, self-centered, pompous arse!" she hissed the words angrily. "You don't know anything about him! He does not only possess the skill and knowledge to understand the wildness, but also to survive in them, what I can't say about you, Shane. I trust his judgment and I trust his instincts, and when he disagrees with your plan, I would like to hear his reasons for it."_

 _Daryl had been completely speechless at that and even when she looked at him, all he could do was blink at her completely taken aback. He couldn't remember the last time someone had defended him or took his side. Only Merle had done so and that was because they were blood. Hermione's deep brown eyes bore into his and all he could think was that he liked her._

 _Hermione had been the first and only one who truly enjoyed spending time with him. Carol occasionally talked to him, as did a few other, but no one was like Hermione. She spent as much time with him as she could, had invited him over to where she had looked after the kids. Always smiling at him, laughing with him, biting her lip when she was nervous or deep in thought. She would make sure he had something to eat and offered to eat with her group, when he felt uncomfortable to stay with his own people, mostly due to Shane and Lori._

 _Hermione took the time to be with him and he is beginning to look forward to their moments together. Daryl knew right then and there that he truly liked Hermione. He was in deep though and unconsciously was looking at Hermione the whole time, until Rick got his attention and asked him what he had meant._

* * *

A/N: Did you enjoy it? What did you think so far?

If you are interested in my playlist to this story, I could add them at the end of the chapter. Here is what I heard for this one ... Blinding by Florence + The Machine


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Thank you all so much for giving this story a shot and for all the great reviews you did! Also a great thank you for goes to uoduck, who takes the time to beta read this story.

Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 2

* * *

The feeling of being important, especially to her, had been so overwhelming for Daryl that he didn't know what he should do with it. He had avoided Hermione a little after that by keeping himself busy with work, around the farm.

Thinking back, he felt so stupid for doing this, particularly, when he remembered that he had come too close to losing her, just a few days later.

* * *

 _Wherever he looked Walkers were everywhere. They surrounded the whole farm. Broke down the magic wards that had been placed around the farm. The wards could only hold a handful of walkers, but not this many, as he was told by Draco and Hermione._

 _Shortly after, the barn was on fire, which only drew more walkers to the farm. Everyone was trying to escape, but all he could think of was Hermione, who was with Harry and Draco, trying to fight off the walkers with their magic, to give them all a chance to escape._

 _Harry had put the kids in Maggie's and Glenn's car, telling them to go and that they would find them later. Harry ordered Draco to make sure that Glenn's car and that of the others got out of here, while he and Hermione stayed behind and helped the others, who were still around, like Rick, Carl and Hershel to get safely away._

 _The blond wizard had only nodded and pulled a freaking broom out of his bag. Draco jumped on it and flew in the front line of the cars and cast some freaking spells to keep the walkers away._

 _"Daryl!" Hermione shouted over the moans and bullet shots, "You have to go!"_

 _"No!" He replied, as he stood close to her with his bike. "I'm not leaving you alone here."_

 _The thought of losing her was scaring the shit out of him, more than he could have recalled ever felt for someone._

 _As if she knew what he was thinking she, quickly hugged him, which he returned before she pushed away from him and said, "I will be safe, Daryl. Follow the others. Harry and I will come there by another broom, once we know everyone is safe."_

 _Hermione quickly joined Harry with the spells, and together the two of them created some serious magic that left him speechless and in awe. They cast freaking fire rings, burning the walkers quicker than normal fire would do. Set up explosions at another group of walkers, to fight them off and get their attentions. They cut the walkers in pieces with another flash of light, moved the earth and made holes in where other walkers fell._

 _It was like a battlefield._

 _"GO DARYL!" Hermione shouted and reluctantly Daryl started his bike and followed the way the cars had gone._

 _On his way out, he stumbled upon Carol, who had been surrounded by walkers. He quickly came to a halt and let her mount the back of his bike, before he took off. Daryl glanced one last time at the two people standing on the field, destroying the walkers surrounding them as fear gripped him._

 _He trusted Hermione that she would get out of there, but the thought of her death left him numb. Daryl tried to focus on the car tracks on the street, while he avoided the walkers around them. It was crazy. Everywhere he looked there were more of these things coming, all heading towards the farm._

 _"Where are we going?" Carol asked after a while._

 _"To the others," was his short reply._

 _"Sophia, is she…"_

 _"She's safe. Was with Maggie, Glenn and the other kids," Daryl answered and he could feel her nodding against his back._

 _Both stayed quiet and around dawn they finally found the other cars at the highway, where they had originally set up the sign for Sofia. Most of them were here, except for Shane, Otis' wife and Andrea, as well as Hermione and Harry._

 _Everyone looked tense, waiting for Harry and Hermione to find them._

 _"We should go," spoke Lori suddenly, "We can't wait here. The walkers could come any moment now."_

 _Daryl rounded on her furiously, but Rick was quicker and spoke in an angry voice, "We wait for them, Lori. We give them another hour and decide then what to do."_

 _Daryl walked away from them, towards Draco, who tried to calm the children down. He had Andre in his arm, who was still crying against his shoulder, while Teddy was holding Scorpius, who looked at everything, with completely terrified wide grey eyes. Daryl could see that the kids looked exhausted, as did Draco and most of the people in the group._

 _His throughts drifted back to Hermione and Harry. Daryl kept telling himself that they would be fine, but the more time went without a sign of them, the more worried he became._

 _"I will look for them, if they don't come in the next half hour," Draco spoke suddenly._

 _"I'll come with you," Daryl said, but Draco shook his head. "I will be faster with my broom, which is also more silent than your bike. I also need you to watch over the kids… I trust you to keep them safe, Daryl."_

 _Daryl looked intently at him and nodded after a moment. He wanted to go with him and find Hermione, but knew that Draco was right._

 _He felt so helpless right now. He kept looking back in the direction he believed Hermione and Harry would come from._

 _It felt like forever, when he suddenly saw something in the air heading their way. His heart felt it was about to burst from his chest as he jogged towards the group. He barely registered the relieved words of Draco, as he closed the distance between the flying broom and himself. Harry flew the broom, with Hermione behind him, landed close to Rick and Carl. Hermione stumbled off the broom and looked alarmingly pale. Before she could fall, Daryl had her in his arms. He also noted that Harry wasn't any better, with Rick supporting him._

 _"Are y'all right?" Daryl asked nervously, "Are you hurt?" He didn't want to ask if she was bitten or otherwise wondered by the walkers._

 _"Just exhausted," Hermione said as she tried to hold herself up. "Magically exhausted. We couldn't save the farm."_

 _Hermione looked at Hershel with regret in her brown eyes. "I'm so sorry, Hershel. We tried, but there were just too many of them and they kept coming."_

 _The man only nodded in return, while his daughters hugged him._

 _Soon after, Rick began to tell the group to go back into the cars. Draco had offered to fly ahead again, like before to see which direction would be safest to take and Rick came up with a plan to get out of the hot zone, but all Daryl could do at the moment was to hold Hermione. He just needed a moment to assure himself that she was safe._

* * *

It had been the first time, Daryl had come close to lose Hermione and it had shaken him up greatly. From there on, he was always with her and around her. She would drive on his bike with him, he would sleep close to her and overall keep an eye on her.

The first night, after they had lost the farm, Rick had dropped the bomb that everyone was infected. Most of the people were pissed and wanted to know why he didn't say anything, that is until Harry cut in and gave everyone a piece of his mind. Stating that such information would have crushed any hope or even survival instinct they had. Harry had understood why Rick had kept it for himself. Frankly, Daryl got it too and he didn't blame Rick for having kept it quiet all this time.

Since Harry and Hermione had been too weak to cast strong spells, Draco had been the one to cast protective wards around the place in the forest where they had decided to rest. Thanks to the magical tent, as well as supplies, Hermione, Harry and Draco had with them, in their magical bags, the group had been fairly safe. Most of the people had calmed down from their ordeal, even with the drama of Shane's death and Lori's reaction to it.

Daryl had pitied Rick, at that moment. Nothing the former sheriff did, was good enough for that woman or some others of the group, until they got their act together, after they got a good scolding from Harry and Hermione. Harry, though, he had been at Rick's side ever since the sheriff had dropped the bomb of everyone being infected. The wizard supported the other man and backed him all the way up.

Thinking back now, Daryl wondered if that was the first sign of Rick and Harry becoming a couple. He knew that it officially happened after Lori's death, but sometimes he wondered, when those two had realized to fall in love with each other. There had been some signs, while on the run.

* * *

 _"Hermione?"_

 _"Mmh?"_

 _"Is Harry… gay?"_

 _Hermione turned towards him and looked at him surprised, before she asked, "What do you mean?"_

 _"Don't know… Could it be that Rick and Harry are… y'know… close? Couple like?" Daryl asked quietly, as they sat next to each other, keeping watch while the others rested for the night._

 _Hermione titled her head to the side and he could almost see the wheels turning in her head, probably thinking of all the things those two had been doing. Harry and Rick did practically everything together. Hunt, scout, secure shelter, organized the life on the road, and so on. There was no Rick without Harry right next to him, or the other way around. But that was not why Daryl had wondered about those two men having possibly more feelings for each other than friendship. He had seen the looks they gave each other, caught them teasing each other and hell, even caught them checking each other out._

 _It didn't bother Daryl in the least. He was just simply curious and the only one he felt comfortable to talk to was the woman next to him.._

 _Hermione blinked a few times, before she looked out again and said, "Well, it explains a lot of things, wouldn't it."_

 _Intrigued he asked, "What do you mean?"_

 _"Harry never really had a long lasting relationship. He did date occasionally, but they ended soon after they got together. Harry would always say that it wasn't what he was looking for or that he didn't like her as he thought he would and Harry did get a lot of offers. Witches threw themselves at him for who he was, but it never worked out. I thought it was because he was picky… Maybe you're right about them. I guess we will see about it…. I just want him to be happy."_

 _Daryl nodded and sat next to her, as they watched the surroundings together._

* * *

Life on the road over the winter had been harsh. Even with their magical tent and spells, it wasn't easy. If they were lucky they could stay for a few days in a house or shop, until they found something else or were forced to leave.

During that time, Daryl had finally acted upon his growing feeling for the wild haired woman.

It had been one of his best decisions of his life.

* * *

 _The days had become colder and daylight shorter. It made finding and secure places, as well as supply runs even more difficult. For now, the group stayed in a deserted house, which had a little garden at the back. Harry and Draco had immediately placed some protective magic around the property, and together with Hermione had made sure that everything was safe and comfortable for everyone. Made it warm and habitable. Even though, Lori had been nothing but a bitch to them, and yet, Hermione, Harry and Draco had made sure that she was extra comfortable and got the food and meds she needed, especially when her pregnancy was beginning to show._

 _Lori stayed mostly around Carol and was otherwise completely ignored by the others, which wasn't a surprise, after it came out that the baby growing inside her might not be even Rick's. Carl had gotten wind of it and therefore spent less time with her and more around Teddy, Sophia, Harry and his dad. Not that Daryl could blame the kid._

 _After everyone had been settled down, he had offered to go look for supplies. Soon three groups had been formed, Glenn with Maggie, Harry with T-Dog and he himself with Hermione. Even though he didn't want her in any danger, he knew that she could defend herself against walkers or any other type of danger. He trusted Hermione to have his back, which he only did with a few people._

 _His thoughts came to a halt as they found another store that could still have some supplies for them. The two of them silently closed in on the building, gave each other a nod, before they moved. It was always the same, as they began to enter an unknown building. He would make some noise to draw out any possible walkers inside the place, while Hermione stood close by and killed them silently with her wand. Only a flash of light indicated by the use of magic, before he heard the telltale sound of a body dropping to the ground, while he killed the others with his crossbow._

 _Once they got all the walkers, they were met with silence and now had the time to look around. There wasn't much left, as Daryl packed the few things he found and Hermione took the cans lying on the ground. Daryl was about to go and tell her that they should go, when Hermione looked around with a confused look on her face._

 _"What's up?" he asked next to her and tried to see what she was seeing._

 _"I thought the shop looked larger from the outside… Let me try something," was all she said, before she cast some other spell with a complicated looking wand movement, when suddenly a bright light appeared on the other side of the shop that looked like a door._

 _Hermione smiled brightly at him, which made his heart miss a beat and for a moment he was reminded again of how beautiful she was, especially when she was happy. Her whole face would brighten up, which kept mesmerizing and render him speechless more often._

 _"I was right, Daryl. There is a room behind the shelf," Hermione said and pointed at the pushed away shelf on the wall. It didn't look out-of-place, which had been the reason why they hadn't spotted it at first. "It could be an office or even a storage room."_

 _Hermione was about to move forward, when he gently grabbed her arm and halted her. "We'll do it as usual, all right? Can you secure the front door? Don't wanna have a walkers surprise us while we're in there."_

 _Hermione nodded and quickly waved her wand at the door, and he saw a something shimmer before it disappeared. He had seen the spell several times already and knew that it had worked._

 _Both moved closer and with a nod to each other, Hermione had magically moved the shelf away and stood close to him. He gave her a quick look before he knocked at the door a few times and waited and soon enough they heard a walker. They took a few steps away from the door and he gave Hermione the signal, as he aimed his crossbow at the door. She quickly opened the door with another spell and before the walker could even take another step, Daryl put him down. They waited for more but no sound came. Hermione quickly moved the body away, with a flick of her hand and Daryl lead the way in. They soon secured the back side and he almost dropped his weapon when he saw what was inside. Shelf upon shelf of boxed food._

 _Hermione laughed delighted next to him. "This is fantastic!" she exclaimed happily and walked closer to the canned food, and smiled, if possible, even more brighter at Daryl. His heart beat heavily in his chest._

 _"This should last us for weeks, maybe even months. We can-"_

 _Daryl couldn't take it anymore, and without thinking he crossed the small distance, grabbed her face gently and pulled her into a deep. He almost moaned at the taste and feel of her warm soft lips, which only send his heart racing further. Hermione had been only tense for a moment, before she melted in his arm and responded just as eagerly. She wrapped her arms around him as he explored her lips and mouth, tasting her even more. It was like a spark, some unknown fire had lit up between them and no one could seem to take enough of the other. He moved her against the shelf and held her in place with his body, as he moved one hand into her wild hair and buried it within it._

 _At some point, they broke off the kiss, panting heavily and he could see the desire in his eyes were the same he was feeling. It took him everything in him not to dive in for another kiss. Daryl gently pushed a strand of hair away as he looked upon her face, which began to flush a beautiful rose color, while she bit nervously her lower lip. He wanted to tell her how much he liked her, how beautiful he found her and that she had come to mean so much to him, but he didn't know how. He had never felt this way about someone and he had never said those things to anyone._

 _The frustration must have been apparent on his face, when Hermione gently touched his face and said gently, "I like you, Daryl."_

 _He could see it in her deep brown eyes that her words ringed truth. It was like a weight had lifted from his chest and even though he didn't know how to tell her that he felt the same and maybe even more. Daryl did the only he could make her see that he felt the same way, by showing and proving his feelings to her. He gently brushed his lips against hers, relishing every moment of it and pouring all that he fell into that one kiss._

* * *

Daryl smiled at the memory as he looked at the sleeping woman next to him. Kissing her today hadn't changed the way he had felt that day at that store. Kissing Hermione had been like a drug after that. He kissed her whenever he was alone with her, or wherever he could and it went without saying that both of them had been a couple ever since.

Of course, the others had noticed it at some point. Draco had been the first to figure out that he and Hermione had become even more close, but stayed silent about it.

It had been a little awkward at first, when they returned from their supply runs. Both hadn't known what to say to the other and before they reached the house in where they were stayed, Daryl had pulled her aside and tried to explain that he wanted to continue with what they had. He had been worried that Hermione would have been offended or that he had made the relationship he wanted it sound cheap, but she had known what he meant. It was like she knew what he thought and felt, understood him when he failed to find the words for it.

Daryl was pretty sure he had been in love with her right then and there, but only to realize it when it had been almost too late.

Even today, after five years of being together, he still had some days that he couldn't seem to find the words to tell her how much he loved her, how much she meant to him. He still felt overwhelmed by the way she made him feel.

And when he realized what it also could mean, he had done something that would become one of his worst mistake in his life.

* * *

 _Daryl looked frantically around, searching for Hermione. He found the children, who were mostly with Beth, Hershel and Draco. Rick and Glenn had been with him, as did Harry. But Hermione was missing. So were Carl, Maggie, Lori, Carol, T-Dog._

 _Everything was happening so fast. One moment they were at the prison fence, and the next the alarms were blaring._

 _They took off running and Hershel shouted at them that Maggie, Lori, Carl went through the main entrance of the building. Hermione had been inside and there was no sign of Carol, T-Dog._

 _Harry was beside him and frantic. Rick shouted over the sound that they needed to shut off the alarms and that's when the other two inmates, Axel and Oscar told them that they knew how to do it. Together they rushed through the building. Harry shot spells after another, killing anything that came in-front of them, until they reached the machine room and as soon as they went, he felt his heart stop. On the ground lay Hermione unmoving and bleeding._

 _"HERMIONE!" Daryl shouted as he rushed towards her, not paying attention who else was in the room._

 _He barely registered Harry kneeling on her other side, casting one spell after another, while he tried to wake her up. He then noticed that the other inmate, the one Rick had told them that was dead, stood at the machines, holding a gun at him, and Oscar on his other side aiming on Rick as well. Harry jumped to his feet as did Daryl, but before they could much as take a step, Oscar had pulled the trigger and killed the other inmate, saving Rick's life._

 _Oscar immediately cut off the alarms and Daryl went back to Hermione, and watched Harry cast some spells. All Daryl could think of was that he couldn't lose her. He wouldn't know what to do, if he did. He felt already as if a part of him was dying, seeing her like this on the ground, was killing him._

 _He didn't even register when Harry talked to him, not until he snapped his fingers in-front of him to get his attention._

 _"Daryl? I said, she will be all right. She was hit on the head and has a small cut and concussion, which we can heal later," Harry explained and cast some magic to put her head in a bandage._

 _"I'm going to try to wake her up. I'll only try it once. Head injuries can be dangerous if too much or the wrong type magic is used. If she doesn't wake up on the first try, then the wound is more severe than I think. All right, you're ready?"_

 _Daryl only nodded, when he couldn't seem to find his voice. He watched with a frantic beating heart as Harry aimed his wand straight to her chest and cast a spell that sent her body jerking in the air a little, and Hermione immediately gasped and moaned in pain._

 _Daryl exhaled shakily, as he watched Harry try to get Hermione to respond to him, but only got a weak yes from her. Daryl didn't wait anymore and pulled her into his arms to carry her out. Harry, Rick and Oscar quickly followed and made sure that the way out was safe. Daryl tightened his grip on her, as she closed her eyes and leaned into him._

 _Arriving at the courtyard, Draco and the kids quickly rushed towards him, looking fearfully at him and Hermione, who was barely responding. Harry had explained what happened, that Hermione probably had tried to shut down the alarm herself, before she got attacked. Draco quickly went to work when Daryl reluctantly put Hermione on the cot that Draco had made magically appear from one of the trash pieces on the ground._

 _He wanted to watch and make sure that she would be fine again, but Rick began to instruct a search party to find Carl, Lori and Maggie, when suddenly the door opened from the prison building. Carl and Maggie walked out, who was carrying the baby in her arms, without Lori._

 _Daryl's heart dropped when he realized what it meant and looked at Rick, who paled dramatically. No one said anything, as they watched Rick realize what it meant and as he walked to his son, who couldn't seem to look at his father. Rick kneeled before his kid and made him look at him, which made Carl cry immediately. Rick pulled him into his arms and hugged him tightly, as Carl cried heavily. His whole body shook with great sobs, while Rick didn't let go. Harry walked slowly towards them and stood close, not interfering between father and son._

 _Maggie had been a mess, still crying and was probably in shock. Glenn quickly helped her walked towards Hershel, who took the baby in his arm and examined her. Daryl noted that Draco returned to work on Hermione, quickly as possible. He pulled some clear looking bottle out and dropped a few on the head wound, which made Hermione hiss in pain. Daryl wanted to hold her hand and make sure she was all right, but something in him made him stop._

 _He had almost lost her today and he had felt as if he could have just died right there with her, if she hadn't made it. He wouldn't know how to continue without her in his life and that's when a traitorous thought had entered his mind._

 _What if it was the other way around? If Hermione felt only a fraction of what he felt for her, that would be enough to hurt her if something happened to him. Daryl couldn't do this to her…. Make her feel the pain of losing him. He wasn't worth it anyway and he would rather have her fight and survive than make her give up… cause that's what he knew he would have done, if he had lost Hermione today._

* * *

A/N: So… did you like the growing romance between Daryl and Hermione and the last part? How about the other pairings? Well, I hope you liked it :D

Song: In My Veins by Andrew Belle


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Happy Valentines Day! Be it single or in relationship, I hope you all have a great time. :)

I also wanted to thank everyone for all the great reviews, as well as all those who favorited and followed this story! And a great thank you goes to uoduck, who beta read this chapter :)

Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 3

* * *

Daryl closed his eyes tightly at the memory. He knew how stupid he had been for trying to distance himself from her. He hadn't realized then that he had hurt her even more by avoiding her and telling her off.

He looked at the sleeping Hermione next to him, reminding himself that she was here with him.

He had been such an asshole to her, which he regretted even today.

After Rick had calmed his son down, and checked on his baby girl, Judith, he wanted to look for the other missing people. Sophia wanted to come along and look for her mother, but Rick had refused. He told her that it was too dangerous, but Daryl knew that it had been because of the fear of what they could have found.

Daryl had immediately joined the search party and let his fury and heartbreak out on the walkers on the prison. They had found T-Dog's remains, along with Carol's head cloth. For a moment, he had believed that she had met a similar fate, until Harry had quickly cast another spell to locate her. They had found Carol unscathed, but quite shaken in an empty cell. It had been a relief to everyone.

The following days, though, had been one of the worst in his entire life, which had been the result of pushing her away.

* * *

 _He couldn't shake the growing bad feeling inside of him, as he kept watching the fences for any signs of Hermione, Maggie and Glenn. They should have been back an hour ago, but all he could see were walkers at the main gate._

 _Daryl sighed, trying to lose the ache in his chest that came whenever he thought of Hermione. Avoiding her was beginning to become more painful with each passing moment. He still recalled the hurt look on her face when he had brushed off her touch or when she had blinked repeatedly to avoid crying in front of him, after he told her that he couldn't be with her anymore and that they should simply call the whole thing off._

 _He kept telling himself that this was for the best. Hermione would be strong enough to survive this world and not be her weakness that could get her killed. It had been days, since one of the inmates had attacked them and he still felt like shit for being away from her. It was like a piece of him was missing, like the inside of him was tearing apart whenever he saw her around. He had noticed that Hermione had stopped smiling and kept mostly to herself or with the kids._

 _He hadn't missed the death glares he got from Draco and Harry and he couldn't blame them for it._

 _Draco had even come to him, yesterday, and told him that he knew what he was doing and that it wouldn't work. Called him a dumb idiot along the way, but Daryl had to try._

 _He stopped his train of thoughts, when he suddenly noticed something odd at the distance. Someone was stumbling towards the prison. At first he believed it to be another walker, until he saw the shopping back she carried. Daryl shouted at Axel to get the others, and rushed towards the main gate. Harry quickly appeared close to him, before Rick and the others could even join them. He could see even from where he was standing the content of the bag filled with baby formula._

 _The blood drained from his face as he looked at the bruised and beaten Afro-American woman. Harry had tried to talk to her, but she could barely stand on her feet and the walkers were beginning to notice her among themselves. Daryl cursed when she fell to the ground. Harry quickly apparated to the other side of the fence and killed the walkers around the woman with his spells, while Daryl rushed to open the gate. He ran to Harry to help him carry the woman inside, as well as the bag with the formula and stopped in his tracks when he found a familiar wood piece inside the bag._

 _With shaking hands Daryl pulled out Hermione's wand and looked at Harry, whose eyes had widened in shock at the implication. Daryl held Hermione's wand tightly in his hands, as both rushed her inside the building. Outside their cell-block, Harry placed her on one of the chairs, and quickly cast some spells on the woman to clean her and made her regain consciousness. She immediately tried to attack the closest one to her, which was Harry, until Rick could calm her down._

 _Daryl was feeling like a caged wild animal, while they tried to talk to her. Both Harry and Rick had made her quickly talk, since they had been an Auror and sheriff, respectively, they knew how to get answers from people, but it was taking too long and Daryl couldn't take it anymore._

 _"Tell us what the fuck happened!" Daryl told her angrily, as he got into the woman's face. Rick pulled him away and tried to calm him down. But he couldn't. Not until he knew Hermione was safe._

 _Harry had quickly taken over and explained, "This wood piece he held, is from his girlfriend and my best friend. Tell us what happened, please."_

 _And than finally the woman had began to talk, telling them about a place called Woodbury, where she believed they had been taken, by a guy, who had sneaked upon Hermione and hit her on the head, before he held her as a hostage. The others, Maggie and Glenn, were forced to drop their weapons and go with them, or he would have killed Hermione._

 _Daryl's heart was racing frantically in his chest and he felt as if the walls were coming crashing down on him. He couldn't believe that this was happening. His mind was racing with all kinds of possibilities. If he hadn't pushed her away, she wouldn't have gone with Maggie and Glenn, she would have gone with him on one of the supply runs, like usual. It was his fault that she was taken._

 _Rick and Harry had immediately planned to go there, which he could only agree to and the woman would also come with them._

 _There were just about to go back up their weapons and get ready, when suddenly Teddy walked with Andre in his arms to Harry, asking about Hermione, when the woman, who called herself Michonne, froze in place and stared at the kids._

 _"Andre?" Michonne whispered in disbelief. The boy turned towards the woman, who had called his name and his eyes instantly brightened, as he called, "MOMMY!"_

 _The boy raised his arms towards her. The woman rushed towards the boy, ignoring the raised weapons at her, as she openly cried, while smiling at the child, before gently picking him up and holding him tight._

 _Everyone looked at the scene with completely surprise. They didn't have to be genius to figure out what just happened. No one said anything, as they watched mother and son reunited, both crying in each other arms. By now everyone from the cell block had joined to see what was happening. Draco moved closer towards the woman who was holding Andre, since he was the one who had watched over the boy most of the time._

 _"What's going on?" Draco asked confused._

 _"I think she is Andre's mother," Harry answered while watching Michonne kiss her son's head over and over again._

 _Something tugged at Daryl's heart, seeing this moment with them and it made him realize what an idiot he had been for pushing Hermione away. He should have been with her, enjoyed every moment they had together, instead he worried about something that might happen. He should have made sure that Hermione was happy, each and every day they had together. Enjoyed the smiles she gave him that always lit up her whole face. Asked her about random things and get her to talk a mile a minute and made her blush whenever he stole a kiss from her._

 _Daryl took a shuddering breath, as the emotions overcame him and just hoped that he wasn't too late to fix it._

 _Harry and Rick began to pack their bags of weapons, and got ready. Oscar had offered to come with them, as did Draco, but Harry wanted the blond wizard to stay back, to protect the children and the others. Hershel couldn't fight properly with a leg missing, due to the quick amputation Rick had done to save his life, after he had gotten bitten by a walker._

 _Harry went to Michonne, who talked with her son and looked notably calmer than she had arrived. Daryl heard part of the conversation between mother and son, as she tried to assure her son that she would be back soon. He could see that it was difficult for her to leave her son behind, just when she had found him. Seeing the hesitation in Michonne, Draco had assured her that he would take care of Andre and that he would be safe with him. Andre had confirmed it and bursted out that they could do magic._

 _Daryl had thought that Michonne would have brushed the comment off, but she looked closely at Draco and Harry and then asked if they were wizards, which had surprised everyone. She quickly explained that her mother had been a witch, while she couldn't do any magic, but knew enough of the magical world. It was a small relief and less hassle to figure out how to tell her about witches, wizards, magic and everything else._

 _And soon, they left the prison to get Hermione, Maggie and Glenn, Daryl had barely said a word to the others. They went through the woods, to get to Woodbury, killed several Walkers on the way, which Harry did much quicker with his spells and just as nightfall came, they reached the place._

 _With a little hindrance Daryl, Harry, Oscar and Michonne found the place, where they had kept them. They came just in time to see two figures with their face covered in a black hood come out of the room and from what they had heard, they were being brought to another place to be executed. They quickly attacked and freed them and his heart dropped when he didn't see Hermione among them. He looked around and tried to find her, but Harry pulled him away and dragged him out._

 _"I need to find her!" Daryl almost shouted, not able to hide the growing panic inside of him._

 _"We will, Daryl. Come!" Harry said and dragged him into a building with the others._

 _Harry quickly cast a spell to locate Hermione, while Maggie and Glenn explained that his own brother had been behind all this. He had kidnapped them, after knocking Hermione off and threatening her. Daryl was completely taken aback and couldn't believe what he was hearing. But right now he needed to find Hermione and if possible even Merle and then get the hell out of here._

 _But Rick wanted to get Glenn out of Woodbury first and only after Harry told him that they would look for Hermione right after, did he agree. He knew that Harry wouldn't leave Hermione behind. They were like brother and sister and Daryl knew that those two would do anything for each other, something he had once shared with Merle._

 _After working out a plan, they fought their way out. Michonne disappeared after a moment and was nowhere to be seen. Harry guided the others out, but Daryl couldn't leave the place to regroup outside. He just couldn't. He needed to find her. So, he took off, on his own and rushed down the street, trying to see where they could have taken Hermione, until someone held a gun to his head._

 _Daryl cursed heavily under his breath. He barely registered what was happening, since he someone had pulled a hood over his head. At some point, he was dragged to another place and a man was speaking to what he could hear was a crowd. He could hear him talking about some bullshit old tales, how hard they had it and how he had failed to protect them._

 _"They want to destroy us!" the man shouted. "And worse, because one of those terrorists is one of our own…. Merle!"_

 _Daryl was shocked to hear his brother's name and listed what the man, this Governor had to say, "The man I counted on, the man I trusted. He let them here. And he let them in… and even wanted to free one of the terrorist that we've caught earlier. It was you! You lied, betrayed us all."_

 _Before Daryl could say anything, he was dragged away by two men._

 _"This is one of the terrorists," the Governor shouted and suddenly the hood was removed from him._

 _"Merle's own brother!"_

 _Daryl couldn't hide the shock from his face as he looked at Merle._

 _He barely registered how the Governor walked towards away. "And the terrorist who Merle wanted to free," the Governor said and Daryl's head snapped in that direction, before the Governor removed the hood from her face. Her eyes instantly found him and he immediately rushed towards her._

 _"Daryl!" Hermione called out in fear, the moment she saw him._

 _His hands had been tied back, just like Hermione's, but she moved closer to him. Daryl looked at her closely and immediately noticed the bruises on her face, as well as bloodied lip. She tried to appear calm and strong, but he could see the terror in her eyes. Something he didn't want to see ever again._

 _The crowd began to shout some things, after the Governor asked what they should do with them. He suddenly noticed Andrea among the people, who was held back by some other people, when she tried to interfere._

 _"How about we let Merle choose, who he wants to save first only to fight later? Mmh?" The Governor said, after he brushed off Andrea and looked at Merle. "I asked you where your loyalties lie. You said here. Well, now you can prove it. Prove it to us all."_

 _Suddenly, someone pulled him away from Hermione. He shouted Hermione's name, just as she called his._

 _"Choose, who's more important to you and the remaining survivor fights against you… A fight to the death… And then the winner goes free."_

 _The panic grew in Daryl as he looked at Hermione and his brother._

 _"Merle, choose her," he said as they began to game or whatever that was. He saw some people dragging walkers out on a leash and he to his horror figured quickly out what they plan to do._

 _Merle shook his head at him. The crowd began to cheer at them. He glanced at Hermione, who was several feet away from him and looked at Daryl with tears in her eyes and something like resignation… as if she had already given up. It almost stopped his heart._

 _He turned to Merle, who was almost next to him as he felt his eyes burning, "Please, brother, I'm begging you. Choose her. Save her, for me."_

 _Merle's demeanor crumbled a little and Daryl pressed on, "Please… I can't live without her. Do this for me."_

 _Merle looked at his brother, before he turned away. Daryl screamed at him with desperation, "CHOSE HER!"_

 _The walkers were almost upon them, when Merle suddenly disarmed a man and shot at someone behind him. Daryl felt suddenly the strings around his wrists falling away, like magic. His head snapped towards Hermione and saw her panting heavily. He had seen her use wandless magic several times and knew when she would do it._

 _He was just about to run towards Hermione when suddenly shots came raining down on them. Daryl quickly ran towards Hermione and punched the guy close to her before he freed her. She sagged a little, but still had found the strength to hug him tightly, which he returned just as desperate, until Harry appeared next to them._

 _"WE NEED TO GO!" the wizard shouted and lead the way out for them. Daryl didn't let go of Hermione's hand, even after she regained her footing. He kept glancing back at her, to assure himself that she was still there._

 _Chaos broke out and people ran aimlessly around, trying to escape the fire. The only time he let go of Hermione's hand was when he had spotted his crossbow that was used by someone else. After quickly decking the guy, he got his weapon back and recaptured Hermione's hand._

 _Daryl was barely away of the magic Harry had cast upon them to make them invisible to the others. A few moments later, they finally left Woodbury even when Rick didn't want Merle with them, but in the end, he let his brother tag along anyway._

 _They had rushed through the night and made it to the meeting point from where their cars had been. Daryl hadn't let go of Hermione's hand the whole time. At one point, when they almost reached the location and the sun began to rise, he looked at Hermione and asked in a quiet voice, "Are you all right, Hermione?"_

 _She looked at him with tired eyes and simply nodded. The bruises were more visible upon the daylight. He stopped in his tracks and turned towards Hermione. He absently saw that the others stopped as well. Usually, Daryl would avoid such attention cast upon him, but his emotions were still all over the place and still too intense. He had almost lost her today._

 _"I shouldn't have pushed you away," Daryl spoke close to her, trying to tell her how much he had messed up and sorry he felt about it. "I get that now… and I wanna make it up to you… make us work again."_

 _Hermione's eyes filled with tears and for a horrible moment he thought that it was late, but then Hermione nodded and smiled a little, and said, "I would like that, Daryl."_

 _That was all Daryl needed, as he quickly captured Hermione's lips with his and kissed her with all he felt for her. He gently pulled her closer into his arms, as he ignored everyone else around._

 _The last few hours, had opened his eyes and he realized that she meant everything to him. She was like the air he needed to breath, the reason to make him feel alive and the strength to fight. It was so clear right then and there that he loved her. Loved her more than anything else in this world._

* * *

Daryl still recalled how much the realization of his love for Hermione had, at a later time, filled him with fear of losing her. He had become even more protective of Hermione after that and it had taken him a while to lose the fear.

He smiled a little, when he remembered what an asshole he had been to everyone, by not letting anyone close to Hermione. He wanted to tend to his woman and cockily said, that he could put the cream on her face.

Harry had laughed at him and Draco had simply rolled his eyes, while everyone else had just been amused at the whole scene. They had teased him relentlessly afterwards. He had only calmed down, after Hermione's wounds were gone and when she had a talk with, assuring him that she was fine and capable of taking care of herself. He had known that she was right, but he just needed to make sure that she was safe and whenever they went out, he was with her.

He shook his head as he recalled how crazy that day had been, after they had returned back to the others, at the meeting point. Michonne and Glenn had instantly tried to attack Merle and because of Rick, Oscar and Harry, a maiming of his brother had been stopped that day. Glenn and Michonne had calmed down more, after Hermione had taken Merle's side and explained what he had done and had tried to do. He had gotten Hermione out off the room, without anyone noticing it, and had wanted to distract the other guards to give Hermione a shot to free Maggie and Glenn, but Hermione and Merle had been found before they could even leave the place they were hold in.

Those two had been still not happy about it, but it was the needed push and the compromise that Daryl and Merle would stay in another cell block. Glenn had been the most riled up at that, until Harry gave him a piece of his own mind, telling him that if Merle was forced to leave that Daryl would go and probably Hermione and when she went then they all would go. This had quickly shut him up, not that Glenn had liked the outcome. Daryl had understood where he was coming from, but in the end, Merle had been his brother, his only family before he had that with Hermione.

Things hadn't been easy after that. The Governor had attacked the next day, killing two of Tyreese's group, who had only joined them the previous day and a few people had been hurt as well. The children had been thankfully inside when that happened. Only Sofia, Carl and Teddy had been out and he and his brother had made sure that they got out safely. Hermione, Draco and Harry and raised hell at them, without being seen, which had made the Governor take off very quickly, just as a car filled with walkers came crashing into the prison. Thankfully, the three of them stopped the car and any more damage to the prison and repaired the damage done to it.

After the attack, Merle had spilled all the dirty work of the Governor. Told them how the Governor thought, fought, his next moves and that he was sure that the Governor would attack again, which he did, just a few weeks later, but they had been ready by then. They had gotten weapons, prepared the prison, and crushed them. Hermione had been away when that happened, watching over the children along with Beth, Sophia and Hershel.

When the Governor and his people fled the scene, Harry, Rick, Michonne, Merle and Daryl went to finish the mess with the Governor, only to find his people massacred by the Governor himself, from what one of the survivor's had said. There hadn't been any sign of the man from that day on. It was like he had disappeared. They went to Woodbury, only to find Andrea infected. It had been a difficult moment for him. He had known her from the beginning and even though they hadn't seen eye to eye, she hadn't deserved that.

The group had returned the next day with the remaining people from Woodbury. At first, he had felt conflicted about it, but soon realized that this was the right thing to do. That they were stronger together.

Daryl remembered with a smile, how Hermione had jumped into his arms, as soon as he arrived at in the prison and barely got off his bike. She had kissed him passionately, which he only returned all too willingly. In the beginning, he had been just too shy to show his feelings and affections of her so openly, but after almost losing her, he couldn't care less. Not even when Merle had begun to tease him about it, by asking when he would make an honest woman of her or when he should expect to be a badass uncle.

Daryl's smile turned bittersweet at the memory. Hermione had laughed at the teasing, while Daryl could only tell his brother to shut up.

It had been still new to him, being in a functional and happy relationship. Showing Hermione how he felt had been a lot easier than telling her, which was a whole other story.

Daryl turned to his side and watched Hermione sleeping form with a small smile on his face, as he recalled one of the best days of his life.

* * *

 _Daryl sat at the other side of the fence, hidden from most views, where he still could keep watch and make sure that they were still safe. He knew that soon, the Governor would attack and even with all the preparation, he still felt on edge._

 _He turned around, when he heard someone opening the gate of the courtyard and smiled when he spotted Hermione. She was bitting her bottom lip, while trying to stop the giggle fit she was in. The first thing Daryl noticed though, was that she looked simply beautiful._

 _"Somethin' funny?" Daryl asked, once she sat next to him and bursts out laughing, which had gotten his attention._

 _"I shouldn't laugh, really, but it was just too cute."_

 _He raised an eyebrow at her and asked, "What's cute?"_

 _She bit her bottom lip again, and he had the urge to dive in and kiss her, just as she explained, "I was just getting us drinks, and wanted to ask Harry something, when I-" there she began to get another giggle fit, before she continued again, "I cached Harry and Rick snogging the life out off each other."_

 _Daryl blinked in surprise before he chuckled in return._

 _"They were so embarrassed when they saw me. Jumped apart as if I had cursed them and were reduced to bumbling teenagers who were caught sneaking cookies."_

 _Both laughed at the imagine Hermione had produced._

 _"I tried to act normal, told them that I saw that they were busy and that I would talk with Harry later… and I kinda suggested that they should simply continue," she said, biting her lower lip while smiling._

 _"No way," Daryl commented and began to laugh heartily._

 _"I did," she admitted it sheepishly, before trying to look more determent, "Well, they should get their acts together. I mean, they did dance around each other for months now. I understand that Lori's death had put a halt for them to get closer, because of Carl, but they keep finding excuses… I just want them to be happy."_

 _Hermione calmed down at her last words and Daryl could only nod at her words. He had no problem for the two men to get together. It was strange at first, never having been involved and around gay couples, but he was fine with Rick and Harry._

 _"Seeing Harry and Rick together made me thinking of …. Something I wanted to tell you."_

 _Daryl looked at her closely when he noticed the nervous tone of her voice and that she looked nervous at the same time._

 _"Is somethin' wrong?" Daryl asked gently, as his heart began to beat a little faster._

 _"No, no. Well, I hope it won't be, I mean it shouldn't be. It isn't for me though and I hope it won't be for you too," she paused and took a deep breath, before she continued, "Actually, I've been thinking about telling you this for a while, but I wasn't sure how to. I know we have only been together for around seven months, including the little break we had a few weeks ago, which I'm not upset with you about anymore… and, well, I know that some couples begin to feel that they like the partner, begin to feel attract to them… and… after a while, sometimes within days, weeks, months…. Sometimes even years, they… they begin to feel more for the other one, in a romantically way."_

 _Daryl couldn't seem to find his voice as he listened to Hermione. His heart beat furiously in his chest, the moment he realized what she was trying to tell him._

 _"I think I… no, I know that I… I've realized for a while that I liked you more. That you… have come to mean more to me than before…. And at some point, I don't really know when actually, maybe before we found the prison that…I- I have fallen in love with you," Hermione confessed, blushing deeply, in the end._

 _Daryl felt as if his heart leap out of his chest, the moment he heard those words from her. Never would he have believed that Hermione could ever feel that way about him. Love him. All his life he had believed that no one could love him._

 _She was all things he wasn't and yet, here she was, telling him that she loved him. If he was honest with himself, a small part of him had actually believed that she had just realized now that she could do better and saw what a useless shit he was, but this… to hear her say that she loved him was something he never expected._

 _He was still filled with disbelief and surprise, not able to know what to do, until she suddenly looked away and bit her lower lip nervously. He knew he should say something, but he was so overwhelmed with the feeling of happiness that he simply couldn't._

 _"I'm sorry. I didn't want to jump you with that, Daryl. I know, I should have waited. Statistically speaking, men are more likely to say 'I love you' first than women are and I think I've waited for that that to happen, but knowing you, I thought maybe it would be a good idea if I- if I simply stated how I felt for you. Not that I expect you to say it right back now! I-I just wanted to let you know, how I feel about you… I mean, the feeling of love is also a biochemically indistinguishable from having a severe obsessive-complusive disorder- Not that I think you have a disorder or something, I mean- I just-"_

 _Daryl couldn't take it anymore and quickly leaned closer and kissed her slowly. It stopped her rambling immediately, which he had found cute and adorable, whenever she did it. But right now, all he wanted to do to was show her, how much he felt for her. Proof to her that he shared the same feelings and loved her more than anything in the world. He swiftly pulled her on his lap and wrapped his arms around her._

 _Daryl closed his eyes and savored her soft lips against his. Hermione moaned lightly against his lips, which made him deepen the kiss even more, memorizing the feel of her lips, the taste of her kiss. He pulled her closer, until her chest was flushed against his and let his hands wander from her back up into her hair, which he loved. He loved everything about her and he knew he wouldn't get enough of her, ever._

 _Hermione meant everything to him and he needed to tell her this. The last thing he wanted was to hurt her all because he couldn't tell her that he loved her. Daryl slowed down the kiss down, before he gently pulled away and rested his forehead against Hermione's._

 _Both panted heavily, but he made sure he looked in to her deep brown eyes, before he spoke the words he had wanted to say for so long, "You make me feel so much, Hermione. Things I never felt before… an' everyday get more… stronger… You're always on my mind… and here," Daryl said as he placed her soft hand against his frantic beating heart and saw how her eyes softened, looking back at him with love that almost forget what he was about to say._

 _But Daryl push himself to continue, "I don' know when it happened, but I knew when I saw ya that day in the machine room… you lying on the ground… I thought I lost you," Daryl gulped and took a deep breath, unconsciously he pulled her closer to him. "I felt… broken thinkin' that you were… gone… and I didn't want you to feel the same… not even a bit of it."_

 _"Oh, Daryl," Hermione said and touched his faced with her other hand, to which he leaned closer to. He could see it in her eyes that she had understood everything. That she knew why he had pushed her away, before she got kidnapped along with Maggie and Glenn. That was another thing he loved about Hermione, she understood him, but he still needed her to know with absolute certainty. He didn't want Hermione to doubt his feelings for her._

 _Daryl took a deep breath and said calmly, while his heart felt like it was about to burst from his chest, "I love you, Hermione… so much."_

 _The smile that graced her lips, brightened her whole face. She blinked a few times, as her eyes shone with tears, before she leaned closer and cradled his face in her soft hands._

 _"And I love you, Daryl," was all she said against his lips, before she kissed him deeply._

* * *

A/N: I hope you enjoyed the chapter and are excited about the new episode of The Walking Dead today!

And here is my playlist:

Kingbreaker by Audiomachine

The Crypt Pt.1 and Pt.2 (Romeo & Juliet Soundtrack) by Abel Korzeniowski


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Hi, everyone! First, I want to thank everyone for the amazing reviews! Thank you so much! I'm really happy that so many people like the pairing and the story. It will get only better :D

A big big thank you goes to uoduck! You are the best!

So, before you begin, I want to… prepare/warn you/want to let you know that this chapter has some really steamy scenes *winks*, if ya know what I mean *winks* ;)

Now get comfy and enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 4

* * *

It was one of Daryl's favorite moments with Hermione. He had felt like he was on top of the world, high on his emotions and hadn't been able to stop smiling the next couple of days. Even more so, when she sat close to him. Everyone had teased him, especially his brother, but he hadn't cared.

Looking at a sleeping Hermione, he knew without a doubt that he still loved her just the same if not even more so today. He would do anything for her and he knew that she would do just the same for him.

For a while things had been perfect for them. They had gotten even more closer, after the love declaration and once in a while, he was actually able to say how much he loved her. After years together with her, he lost the hesitation and shyness about his feelings and how she made him feel.

Not only was he able to finally tell her what he felt for her, but also became more open about it.

* * *

 _It had been two weeks, since the Governor had disappeared and the remaining people of Woodbury had joined them. Those, who had known about magic, had promised to keep it quiet towards the newcomers, who had also been placed in another cell block, just to be safe. Daryl had moved in with Hermione in her cell room, after getting the all clear from Harry and Rick, since he had promised to take care of his brother and had stayed with him in another cell block._

 _They hadn't of yet done more than touch and kiss. Whenever things became heated, someone or something would disturb them. It was frustrating to say the least, but he would wait for her… even if was slowly killing him, walking with a constant blue balls around. Daryl had noticed that Hermione became more short tempered with others, got easily riled up and could barely contain or hide her frustration. Sometimes, it brought even her prissy nature out, which made her British accent even more heavier to the point that it sounded all stuck up and snobbish. Everyone who had upset her, had faced the 'Prissy Hermione' over the last week._

 _This was how Daryl had found her, after returning from his rounds. A riled up Hermione stood before a nervous looking Draco and even from the distance could see how his witch was berating Draco. Walking closer he could distinctively hear her telling him how to treat Michonne right and properly, listening all the things he should do for her._

 _Michonne stood a little further away, leaning on the wall, and noted the smug smile on her face._

 _"I'm just warning you, Malfoy. If I ever hear you being mean to that woman, who had gone through an horrible emotional trauma, so help me, I will cast a curse on your male bits that will make Marietta Edgecome purple pustules look pretty… and trust me, I will make sure you won't be able to remove them," Hermione said, eyes blazing and hair crackling with energy, which made her look like an avenging angel to Daryl._

 _"What's goin' on?" Daryl asked Michonne. The blond wizard, if possible, became even more pale at her words._

 _She shrugged and said, "Hermione wanted to give Draco the talk. Wanting to make sure that he knows how to treat me properly… her words not mine."_

 _Daryl raised an eyebrow, as he looked at Draco, who kept nodding and promising anything Hermione asked._

 _"Your man's shakin' and scared shitless," Daryl stated._

 _"I know," Michonne admitted with a little smile, "He still looks cute though."_

 _Daryl snorted at that and walked towards Hermione, "Whatcha doin there, princess?"_

 _Hermione swiftly to Daryl's direction and smiled at him brightly. The first time he had called her princess after seeing her frustrated over working with guns, which she still wasn't good at, had pulled her out of her mood._

 _"Nothing, love," she said and he loved whenever he called him that. "Just a talking with my dear friend Draco here." She turned back to the blond man, dropped her smile and glared at him warningly. "Remember what I said, Malfoy."_

 _"Yes- yes, of course, Granger," Draco muttered and quickly walked away._

 _Daryl smiled down at Hermione, as he pulled her closer, "Ain't ya a naughty girl."_

 _Hermione shrugged, while she wrapped her arms around him, "Maybe a little."_

 _Daryl chuckled as he pulled her in for a kiss and he could swear he felt the sparks in the kiss._

* * *

Daryl loved the fierce and even dangerous side of Hermione, which was under the surface of her loving and even sweet personality. It had reminded him of a wildcat, a lioness. A beautiful and very dangerous being.

Over the years, he had known to see the signs when she would become all riled up about something. Her eyes would flash dangerously, her hair would look as if it had a life of its own and even sparks appeared when she was really riled up, but pursing her lips, was the first sign of getting frustrated about something or someone. Hermione was like an open book to him, not that he would ever tell her this. He loved knowing these things and it gave him a little warning when he accidentally or not so pissed her off.

But these were not the only telltale signs of her magic.

* * *

 _Daryl and Hermione had been out in the morning, making out and when things got heated between the two of them, they were interrupted yet again for something stupid, he couldn't even recall anymore. His mind and body were charged with sexual tension and frustration that he couldn't think straight. It was getting harder to control himself around Hermione and he could see that she shared the same feeling, the same need for him as he had for her._

 _He just needed to be with her, before he would go insane from the way he was feeling._

 _Daryl didn't know who had pulled whom into the kiss first, as they stood outside in the courtyard, not that he cared at this point. He pulled Hermione into his arms and kissed her lips hungrily. Biting them. Pulling on them, before he deepened the kiss more furiously and all he could think of was that he wanted her. Needed her. He pressed his hard erection against her, which elicited her to moan into the kiss. The sound she made drove him crazy._

 _After a moment, Hermione pulled away, grabbed his hand and before he could say anything, she pulled Daryl to another side of the courtyard. She led him directly into a storage space and he swiftly caught on what she had planned. His heart was racing in anticipation as they walked in. Hermione quickly pulled out her wand and did a spell, to close the shutters, followed by two more spells at the entrance. Daryl didn't stop kissing her neck or touching her body and he pressed himself against her from behind. He absently watched how she swiftly created a light ball that hovered in the air that gave a soft light in the room, before Hermione pointed her wand at a stack of boxed and magicked a bed in the center of the room._

 _Usually, he would be mesmerized by the magic she cast, but right now, the need to be with her was too strong, especially when she so teasingly rubbed herself against his front all the while. Daryl swiftly turned around and pulled her into another kiss. He held her face, while he moved his lips against hers. He knew just how to make her lose control with only a kiss. He daringly licked her soft lips with the tip of his tongue several times, which earned him a shuddering breath and made her grip on him tighter. Daryl swiftly dived in for another deep kiss, brushing his tongue against hers and soon enough, she moaned deeply into his mouth that went straight to his already aching groin._

 _Suddenly, Hermione broke the kiss off and pushed him against the wall. Even in the dim light, Daryl could see the fire in her eyes before she attacked his lips again, just as he felt her hands going under his shirt, caressing his chest. One hand went straight down to his, all of the sudden unbuttoned and unzipped pants. Without waiting, Hermione swiftly grabbed his throbbing member and this time he was the one who moaned against her lips._

 _Hermione grabbed him tightly in her soft hand and moved it up and down, while the other explored his chest under his shirt and all he could think was that he needed more. Wanted more. As if reading his mind, Hermione broke the kiss and fell on her knees. To his surprise, his pants had been already completely pulled down and before he could so much as say her name, she licked his long shaft until she reached the tip and sucked him gently. Daryl groaned deeply in pleasure, as he buried his hands into her wild hair and watched her with hooded eyes every single movement she made. With each kiss, lick and pull into her mouth, he felt more of his control slipping away. Her other hand played with his testicles and he knew that if he didn't stop her soon, that he would lose it._

 _Daryl pushed her gently away from his aching member and pulled her up, until he could kiss her again. Without breaking the kiss, he swiftly lost his pants and shoes. Hermione swiftly jumped on him and wrapped her legs around his waist, before he walked straight to the bed. He wouldn't have their first time on the floor or against the wall and he was grateful that Hermione thought of that before they had completely lost it._

 _The moment he reached the bed, Daryl put her down and went to open her jeans buttons, when all of a sudden, her shoes, socks and pants flew away, leaving her in red laced hot pants. Looking up, he saw Hermione biting her lower lip and smiling at him, which made him chuckle at, until he his shirt forced himself away from him. This time Hermione laughed, seeing his surprised expression and tussled hair._

 _"Minx," he growled before he crawled over her and pulled her into another deep kiss, while he held himself up on his hands and knees. He couldn't get enough of those lips. It was like a drug he needed. A fix that kept him going. Whenever he brushed his tongue against hers, he felt like floating and could make him forget about everything._

 _Daryl let his hands wander down her neck, over her breasts, which he squeezed gently over the shirt. Hermione groaned into his mouth in pleasure. Wanting more, he let his hand wander down the hem of her shirt. He broke the kiss gently, which caused Hermione to whimper in need. Daryl moved down her body and for a moment he was torn what he should do first. Going down on her or removing her clothes, but the need to see her naked, to feel her skin against his, was just too great._

 _He looked up through his fallen hair and saw Hermione watching him. Her face was all flushed, her swollen lips slightly parted and her eyes watched his every move. Daryl kept his eyes on her, as he slowly pulled her shirt up and began to lick his way slowly up._

 _Hermione moaned deeply, before her breath became more erratic._

 _"Daryl," she breathed his name in need, which pleased greatly. He loved being able to do that to Hermione._

 _He didn't break eye contact he had on her, while he licked and kissed the exposed body, leaving a trail of trembling skin behind._

 _"You taste so good, Hermione," he confessed and noted how deep his voice sounded, just as Hermione's body shuddered under his touch. "You feel so good."_

 _He pushed the shirt over her round breast and sucked in a deep breath when he saw a matching red laced bra that cupped her handful of breast. Daryl swiftly removed the shirt over her head and returned to look down her body._

 _For a moment, he could only star. Mesmerized by how sexy and beautiful she looked._

 _"Y'drive me crazy, woman," Daryl exclaimed as he touched her breast, with his fingers, before he grabbed them through the bra. "Can't get enough of ya."_

 _Hermione moved her hands into his hair, which made him look up, only to see the same need, the same hunger he felt for her. She licked her lips and said, "Daryl, please…"_

 _"Please wha', Mione?" he asked teasingly as he slowly kissed her chest, while he began to remove her bra._

 _"I- I need you! I-I… Oh!" she broke off, the moment Daryl removed the bra and pulled her nipple into his mouth and sucked on it hard, while he flicked his tongue against it. He watched with rapt attention and satisfaction, how she came undone by his touch. She ached against him, as she held him tightly and wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling him closer. She rubbed herself against him and Daryl moaned deeply, before he pulled away and paid the same attention to the other breast, while he touched her body._

 _The sound she was making, drove him almost crazy with need to just bury himself inside her, but he wouldn't do that. What he wanted was to savor the moment and take it slow, which was easier said than done, especially when she was making these sounds and could feel her soft skin against his._

 _After moment, a forced himself away, before he could lose what little control he had. He gently grabbed her legs and pulled them from his waist and apart, while he slowly went down on her. Licking and kissing all that skin, paying more attention to the scars of hers, which she had gotten as a teenager. She was a warrior in his eyes, sexy, wild, strong, smart, beautiful and simply perfect and he needed to make this moment count._

 _Daryl teased her a little as he reached her underwear. Rubbing his fingers against her covered center, places kisses around the edge of the fabric, until Hermione began to plead and begged for his touch, which almost drove him over the edge and lose control._

 _He hooked his fingers on each side of her pants and slowly removed them down her sexy creamy legs, before tossing them away. He almost stopped breathing seeing her from that viewpoint. Laying there, all spread out and yearning for his touch._

 _Daryl let his hand wander down on both tights, as he slowly places kisses on the inside of her thigh. He had touched her before and had known that she was completely bare down, just as hairless all over her body, because of some spell she had cast on herself years ago. It made her skin all the more softer. What little restraint he had himself on him was blown away, when he saw the glistening entrance and how wet she was. He looked up at her through his fallen hair and kept eye contact with the vision before him. He dove down and began to licked each and every little inch over her hot core._

 _"Daryl!" she moaned as she grabbed his hair and spread her legs wider for him._

 _"You taste to good… I can't get enough of that hot pussy," Daryl groaned as he dove for another taste of her. He kissed, licked, sucked and pulled, not able to get enough of the taste of her. Through his own haze of pleasure, he noted her quivering more by the choice of his words. An idea came to him, as he pulled away and said, "I could spent all day long here, suckin' all that wet hot pussy of yours… Maybe I should add my finger deep into your cunt, what'cha think, Hermione?"_

 _Hermione moaned even louder at his words and he chuckled at her response. He wouldn't have thought that Hermione would like dirty talking, which turned him even more on._

 _"Would'cha like tha', Hermione, mmh?" Daryl continued, as he pushed a finger inside her. "Want me to fuck your pussy with my fingers?"_

 _Hermione only panted harder and ached her back, when Daryl just did that, without waiting and pumped his fingers and out and a slow pace. He had to hold her down when she was beginning to move against his hand._

 _"Y'love that, don'cha? Having me play with that sweet little cunt of yours… getting y'all wetter… and ready for my cock. Do you, Hermione? Do you want me?"_

 _"Y-Yes, yes!" Hermione panted, while she trembled more under his touch. "Daryl, yes! Please!"._

 _"Wha'cha want, princess?"_

 _Hermione moaned when he sucked again at her clit before he bit it gently. "Want me to fuck you? Get my hard cock into that tight wet pussy of yours? Fuck you, until y'scream my name and come all over my cock?"_

 _"Yes! Yes!" Merlin, yes!" Hermione almost screamed in between pants, and ached her back deliciously before she begged, "Daryl, please!"_

 _Daryl couldn't take it anymore and removed his fingers and sucked on the wet sweetness, before he crawled over to her and captured her lips in a heated kiss, which earned him another moan from Hermione. He flushed his body against hers and groaned in pleasure at the feel of it. Everything about her was just pure addiction and he knew that as soon as he entered her, he would be lost._

 _He slowly broke the kiss and licked her lips. "Can you taste yourself on my lips, baby?" He licked her lips again, before he gave her a short kiss, while he rubbed his throbbing erection against her wet entrance. "Taste how delicious you are… how perfect."_

 _"Daryl, please…"_

 _"What do you want? Tell me, baby!" he almost growled the last part as he rubbed himself more heavily against her._

 _"I want you, Daryl. I need you! Please!"_

 _He couldn't hold back anymore. He grabbed his shaft and pushed it slowly into her. He let out a deep moan, as soon as he was surrounded with her hot tight walls. He wanted to savor the moment, the feel of her surrounding him, how well she fitted him, as her legs and arms wrapped around him. He slowly thrust in and out, all the while kissing her and he felt as if he was floating. Nothing mattered right now._

 _Daryl gently grabbed her hands and moved them above her head, while he thrusted deeper into her. Making both moan and breath deeply into their kiss. He let his hands wander down her arm, loving the feel of all that soft skin against him. He halted for a moment and rotated his hips, which made Hermione scream in ecstasy. Seeing her falling apart in sheer pleasure in his arms and being the reason for it, had him sent almost over the edge._

 _He let her wrap her arms around him, while he kissed her wildly and began to thrust at the angle he found out got the most reaction and drove her crazy. He wanted her to come all around him._

 _Daryl picked up space and thrusted even harder into her. Her arms tightened around him, as she gasped in surprise before she moaned loudly against his lips, feeling her shake even further against him. He could feel himself getting close already. All the sounds she was making were driving him crazy._

 _"Come for me, beautiful," Daryl moaned against her lips and looked into her face. He needed to see her when she came. Soon enough, Hermione stilled for a moment, broke the kiss and then she ached her back heavily and screamed his name, before she came all over him. Her walls begun to tighten around him and he thrust even faster against her. He had thought that he could hold off for a little moment longer, that is, until he felt a warm energy from around the walls surrounding his erection and pulling him almost forcefully along her climax._

 _He moaned deeply, entirely taken off guard, as the wave of pleasure washed over him, stronger than he had ever felt before in his entire life. It went on for what felt like forever, as he rode their pleasure out. He barely registered the little sparks all around them, as he was all too consumed by the feeling waves of pleasure crashing down on him._

 _Daryl never remembered to have such a long or intense orgasm in his life before. As his climax slowly left his body, it left him shaking with overwhelming feeling of relief. Usually, it was just a few seconds, a moment, but this felt longer. Double or triple times longer._

 _He panted against Hermione, barely supporting his weight with his forearms, as he tried to catch his breath. He took in a breath of her at the nap of her neck, before he looked up at her in complete wonder and if possible began to fall more in love with her. She wore the most beautiful smile, while all her skin was all flushed and lips swollen. He could only stare in wonder at her, mesmerized by her beauty and sheer perfection._

 _Unable to resist the temptation, he leaned closer and kissed her slowly, memorizing the moment that felt like a slice of heaven. His heart ached at the love he felt for her and knew that he had lost more of his heart to her today._

 _"I love you," Daryl whispered against her lips, as he looked into her beautiful eyes, which had softened even more at his words._

 _"And I love you, Daryl."_

 _He felt like he could fly in that moment and dived in for another taste of her lips._

* * *

Daryl could feel himself getting aroused at the memory. He couldn't help himself when he leaned closer and kissed her cheek gently. Hermione smiled a little at the touch and moved closer to him and into his arms. He knew that she was still sleeping as he held her close to his body with an arm wrapped around her.

Remembering that day brought a smile upon his face. They had loved each other three more times that day. It was like they couldn't get enough of each other. It was slow, the second time and they went as slow as possible before they had to return back. They had actually begun to dress again, when Daryl saw her putting in her bra and pulled her back for another kiss and passionate love making and the third time, which was actually the fourth one was another round of wild sex. It was heaven. Still was. And each and every time Hermione climaxed, she pulled him with her, prolonging the feel of complete ecstasy that made him feel like being high on charge, and he had noticed that the spark of energy around Hermione still went on. No matter how often they had sex. The magic around them was always there.

Daryl had asked her later that day, which had confused Hermione as well. She later figured out that it must be her magic calling to Daryl, being in tune with him and accepting him just as much as Hermione did. Something like that didn't happen often apparently. The information had made him feel like one lucky bastard and all smug.

Being together with her, no matter if they made slow lovin' or had wild sex, the spark of magic kept happening between them and he loved it. Not only because it was the best sex ever, but also because it was a little proof that they belonged together and according to Hermione this only had ever happened with him. It had chunked out a huge piece of doubt he still had in the back of his mind.

Of course, everyone, the adults that is, had immediately noticed the change and lazy smiles on both of their faces. Many of them had immediately teased and sniggered at Hermione and Daryl about it, but he had cared less about it. All he had wanted that day and the following days, was to be with her again, to get her alone and have his way with her.

The first few weeks, had been crazy. Everything about her felt like an addiction. Her smile, kiss, touch, scent, even the sounds she made had captured his attention and he couldn't get enough of her. He had even had teased that she had put him under her spell and she had countered back that he must be a secret wizard that played his magic on her, since Hermione couldn't seam to stop herself from touching him, or kissing him, or trying to sneak away with him. Not that he had minded.

Daryl had known back then, before they had slept together, that Hermione was the love of his life. The closer they had gotten, the more they had spent time with each other, the harder he had fallen in love with her. She was the one for him. There was no other and would never be. He had known it right there and then, she was all he needed. He just had to let know about it.

* * *

 _Whenever Daryl went out to go on supply hunts, he took a little detour in the apartments and shops afterwards. He usually tried to do this when he was alone or with Harry, Merle or Glenn, who knew of his intention. After Daryl had made sure that they wouldn't tell anything to Hermione, did he tell them about his intentions and what he was looking for. The right ring to propose to her._

 _Merle and Glenn had been happy for him. Harry, on the other hand, began to question him, or better yet, interrogated him and asked him all kinds of questions, but in the end, he gave his blessings and told him he was happy for them. A little uncertain part of him had asked Harry if Hermione would accept it. A part of him had been truly worried about it. Harry had only told him that he had never seen Hermione this happy with anyone before. It had actually calmed his nerves._

 _Three weeks had passed, since Daryl had told them of his intentions and was looking to find a ring for her. With the help of the others, he was able to deter Hermione from finding out what he was doing or why he had the sudden need to check up a flat with Merle or Glenn. Of course his girlfriend wasn't stupid and soon knew that something was up. Daryl had decided to tell her part of the truth, by revealing that he was looking for something for her. Thankfully, she hadn't persisted further, even though she had told him that it wasn't needed, but Daryl had made it clear that it was important to him._

 _He still hadn't found the right ring. It was frustrating. All he could find were rings that just weren't his Hermione. He didn't want to take a ring off some walker or give her a rock that he could have never afforded previously and Daryl knew that Hermione wasn't that kind of girl. She didn't care about those things; showing of the money, wearing jewelry, being like one of girly girls. Even when he had met her the first time, she had never worn something like that. She was more practical and never had been or acted superficial. He had seen the pictures of a life before the walkers, which she had with her in her magical bag. In them, she had never worn some luxury things. She was a down to earth girl. His kind of girl. Giving her one of those big-ass diamond rings, was just not her._

 _He hoped that he would have more luck today, when he went to another supply run with a small group, which included Harry and Merle. They had found food cans and other dry ingredients in a little hair salon. They were about to leave the place when he spotted a small antique shop that looked completely run down._

 _"Harry," Daryl called out and when the wizard looked at him, he added,"Wanna look?"_

 _"Sure," Harry quickly agreed and both walked towards to the little shop, after informing Merle about their plan._

 _The store had been completely damaged. Dishes and other old stuff lay broken on the ground. Inside were two walkers which they quickly handled and when they were sure that no one was there, did they begin to look around. Daryl knew from experience that this type of shops usually had a hidden safe box somewhere hidden, where they would keep the more expensive stuff away. He explained this to Harry, as he was looking in the backroom of the shop, while Harry scanned the desk area._

 _He didn't spot anything at first. He moved furniture around to have a better look, until he spotted a loose wooden wall panel._

 _"Jackpot," Daryl said as he found a small safe hidden away._

 _"Harry! Found something," Daryl called out as he tried to find a way to open it. But Harry quickly waved his wand and the lid opened a slightly._

 _"Thanks," Daryl said and opened the box a little nervously. His eyes widened hopefully, as he looked at the array of rings, necklaces, watches, earrings, and wrist bands. Harry went through them as well and looked at their findings with a critical eye._

 _Daryl laid the rings on the table and sorted the ones he didn't like, until only two were left. He couldn't decide which one would be the best for his witch._

 _"What's wrong?" Harry asked, when he kept staring at the rings._

 _"Not sure, which is the right one," Daryl explained and held up one ring that had a light blue sapphire stone with a silver band, written on the little etiquette, which was hanging from the ring._

 _"She told me she loved this color," Daryl said._

 _In the beginning, shortly after they had become together as a couple, they had asked each other many random questions and one of them had been the favorite color. He remembered how she had blushed and told him that his eye color, the sky blue, was her favorite color, or more accurately, had become her new favorite color._

 _"And I like this shape," Daryl said and held him the other ring. It had a white gold band, according to the etiquette. The whole top had a sideway oval form, which was smaller on each side, until it became the same width of the ring band. The entire top also had small carvings that reminded him of leaves and nature. The center was a little red stone, which was the only thing he didn't like in the ring._

 _"Well, I could remove the red stone, make the center a little wider and put the blue stone inside. I know you didn't want a transfigured ring for Hermione, but this would be more of fixing than creating a ring of a wood piece."_

 _Daryl looked at both rings and tried to imagine them merged as one, and in the end, nodded at Harry. He liked the idea to give Hermione something unique, only made for her, even if he couldn't do it himself._

 _He silently watched Harry's every move as he went to remove the red stone on the second ring, then took the blue stone from the first ring and placed them into the center making the ring piece a little larger. Seeing the final result of the ring, Daryl knew that this was the one. This was the ring he wanted to give Hermione._

 _Harry cast some more spells on it. "I also placed an Unbreakable and Anti-Theft spells over it. Thought you would like it," Harry explained with a little smile, as he handed him the ring, which he swiftly pocketed away._

 _"Thanks, Harry."_

 _"My pleasure, Daryl. Come, let's head back, before they send a search party."_

 _Daryl nodded at Harry, but before he left, he quickly put the jewelry back into the box and in the hidden place. Seeing Harry's confused look, he said, "Maybe someone will need something like that… Or I'll come back again another time."_

 _This had, for some reason brought a thoughtful expression on his face, as he walked out of that store, with Daryl close behind._

 _He absently touched his pocket, feeling the ring before he led the group back to the prison. His mind was racing about having finally found the ring and now he only needed to pop the question. Daryl hadn't thought much about how to do it. Creating something like a candle-light dinner, or other things he had seen couples do in movies or shows wasn't really him._

 _All he wanted was to ask her. He didn't believe that a bunch of flowers, some chocolate or candles could sway someone's decision. That didn't mean that he didn't want to make it special and show Hermione how much he loved her, but he wasn't sure how to do it exactly. He loved spending time with her, being alone with her and holding her in his arms. Nothing mattered in these moments._

 _As they finally approached the prison, Daryl knew that he wouldn't wait any longer and that he just had to tell her how she made him feel and what he wanted._

 _Parking his bike at the backside of the courtyard of the prison, he noticed Hermione crossing the distance to him. She had only eyes for him, as she walked towards him with a smile. It always lightened his heart seeing that smile directed at him._

 _Daryl got off his bike as soon as he closed it and went to her. He hadn't felt this nervous in his life. It was like every nerve-endings in his body were lit up, ready to jump. His heart was beating a mile a second, as he pushed his right hand into his jeans pocket and touched the little token in there, before he removed his hand and pulled Hermione into a kiss, just as she wrapped her around him. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the feel of her in his arms and the taste of her lips. He would never get tired of kissing her._

 _"Get a room, little brother!" Merle sniggered at them._

 _Daryl flipped the finger at his brother, without looking up. Slowly, Daryl broke the kiss, peaking her lips quickly once more, before he grabbed her hand and walked away with her. He wanted to be alone with Hermione and away from prying eyes, where they usually spend time together. It had become their unofficially spot and belonged only to them. It was the same place where they had confessed their love for each other and where he had realized he wanted to spent the rest of his life with her._

 _Never did he believe that he would ever fall in love, or would want to be married to someone. Not even before all hell broke loose and the dead began to walk. But here he was. Wanting something he thought he would never want or have._

 _Just as Hermione was about to sit down, he held her hand and stopped her from moving. He gently took her hand in his and saw the confusion in her eyes._

 _"Is something wrong, Daryl?" she asked puzzled as she looked at him._

 _Daryl could only shake his head at first, before he was able to find his voice and tell her, "All's good. But there's something I wanna tell you."_

 _Hermione waited patiently for him to continue and it took him a moment to find his words. As he looked at her and then just like that, the words fell from his mouth, "God… you're the most beautiful woman I've ever met. Everything about you is just perfect…. And every time I look at you, I can't believe that you love me."_

 _Hermione blushed prettily and bit her lip shyly._

 _"Hell, I still can't believe that what we have is real… Never thought I would feel this way about someone…. You make me feel things, I've never felt before. Make me want things, I've never wanted… I love you, Hermione."_

 _Her eyes shone with tears, while she smiled up at him and he knew without a doubt that she felt the same way._

 _"There's only you. Just you. You make me happy… and you're all I need and want…. I know, I don't deserve someone like you."_

 _Hermione opened her mouth to protest, but Daryl quickly went on and said, "But I want to… I want to spend the rest of my life trying to make you see that I love only you."_

 _Daryl moved his hand into his pocket and pulled out the ring and fell on one knee, as he looked up at her. Hermione gasped in surprised._

 _"I… want you to be mine. I want you to be my wife, I want to be yours, Hermione… Will you marry me?"_

 _Hermione was nodded her head quickly, with a bright smile as a few tears escaped her eyes and said, "Yes, yes, I want to marry you, Daryl." She quickly bent over and kissed him before he had the chance to stand up again, but he didn't care. He simply pulled her into the kiss as the rush of relief washed over him. Without breaking the kiss, he pulled her underneath him on laid her on the grass, enjoying the moment._

 _He didn't know how long the kissed and were in each others embrace, when he slowly pulled away. Daryl gently took her left hand and put the ring on it and he sighed in relief when it fitted her perfectly._

 _"It's beautiful," Hermione breathed out as she looked at the ring and then met his eyes. "I love you, Daryl. More than anything," she said, before she leaned up and pulled him into another deep and slow kiss._

* * *

A/N: Did you like it? *Sighs* I think I'm getting a crush on Daryl now… LOL!

Here is my Playlist:

Unconditionally by Katy Perry

Dark Horse (feat. Juicy J) by Katy Perry

Addicted by Saving Able


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Hi! Thank you all so much for all the great reviews, and everyone who favorite and follows this story! Thank you so much!

I also want to thank uoduck again for beta reading this story, thank you so much.

Now, enjoy this chapter!

* * *

Chapter 5

* * *

Daryl smiled at the memory. He didn't know where those words had come from in the first place, but he had meant every word.

When they had returned to the others, Harry, Glenn and Merle had immediately known that he had popped the question and congratulated them. Soon enough, everyone knew what was going on, without even announcing it first. He hadn't been into all the attention they'd got, but had felt relieved after having made it official to everyone that she was taken.

Daryl had seen the looks from the men Hermione got. Most of them had been from Woodbury and at first, they hadn't known about his relationship with Hermione, not until he or his brother made it clear that she was off limits. Daryl knew that Hermione never gave them any signs that she could be interested in them. She was just her friendly and helpful self, but others saw this as an encouragement, until his woman had given them a good verbal bashing and put them in their place.

He had never really liked the Woodbury people. Not after what they had almost done to Hermione, Merle and himself in the arena. He had always taken his distance from them and was cautious and on guard whenever they were around. But the growing group had found way to live together, by taken the lead of Harry and Rick. They had always worked and led together.

Shortly after their engagement announcement, or better yet, confirmation, Harry and Rick had officially announced that they were together. The original and closer group were happy about it. Carl and Teddy had already figured out what was going on, since they had seen both men more than often together and accepted their father's and honorary uncle's relationship. It had been a relief to them that Teddy and Carl were ok with it.

The Woodbury people though, weren't quite open about it. They hadn't dared to voice out their issues or were so stupid enough to cause trouble about it. Hell, even Merle had been ok with it. He still remembered how his older brother at looked at him straight in the eyes, and had said that as long as they don't want to share a threesome with him that all was good.

Daryl smiled at the recollection of that moment. Merle had changed over the weeks and months after getting out of Woodbury. Even Glenn had begun to slowly get along with him and for the first time, before all the drugs and Merle's shitty friends, Daryl had gotten his brother back. The one who had always taken care of him, made sure he was safe and protected, and beat up any asshole who dared to cause trouble for him. The brother he could always count on. Merle had even put Hermione under his wings, even though she hadn't needed it.

Merle had seen her as a family and treated her as such, even before Daryl had wanted to ask her to marry him. Hermione and his brother had a fun bantering relationship, yet respected each other nonetheless.

The weeks after his proposal had been the most peaceful time they ever had at the prison.

Things changed when the first sickness broke out, in the prison. It had begun to kill people quickly and turned them to walkers. On the first night, several people had died in the cell, where most of the Woodbury people had been staying. It had been a cold wake-up call from their peaceful life.

Hermione, who had examined the patients, believed that it was some sort of an aggressive flue transmitted by birds and pigs. It was spread through a simple contact with these animals. Their group had quickly taken extra precaution, by isolating the sick people and putting them in quarantine, but it hadn't helped. The sickness had escalated and got Harry, Sasha and Glenn sick.

Hermione, Draco, Hershel and another doctor called Dr. S, had tried to come up with a treatment. Daryl had gone with Bob and a few others to some college building to take some chemicals, while Hermione and Draco tried to create a potion to fight off the sickness. Both had secretly done a diagnostic spell on the people and realized that a simple antibiotics treatment wouldn't have been enough, but it would be a start. It had been a long way from the prison and in the meantime Hermione, Draco and Hershel had treated the symptoms.

At some point, Draco had gone with Merle to find some plants and other stuff that he needed for a potion.

When Daryl had returned from the errands, he had found Hermione with Hershel inside in the quarantine cell block, where all the sick people were held and to his surprise, had found Harry and Glenn there as well. After those two had become worse, Hermione and Hershel had decided to go in as well, try to treat the fever and coughing with a simple herbal mixture, that Draco had made, along with another potion he had been still working on.

Daryl had been beside himself and without thinking had simply gone inside. Hermione had tried to stop him, but he wouldn't have it and just pulled her into his arms and kissed her. He only calmed down when she had assured him that she was alright and not bitten.

Soon enough, Bob showed up with the supplies and together with Hermione and Hershel, they began to mix them into an antibiotic, just as Draco finished his potion. Everyone got a dose of antibiotics and the potions, even those who had been healthy and hadn't shown any symptoms yet. Hermione had hoped that this combination would also prevent anyone who was still in the incubation timeframe, not knowing if they were also infected. And she had been right. No one showed any symptoms after that and a few hours later, people began to get better.

Everyone had thought that they had passed the danger, as they got back on their feet. But in just a few hours their whole life and everything they had built, had come crashing down on them, when someone from their past showed up.

It had been one of the darkest moments of his life.

* * *

 _Daryl felt numb, as he walked through the woods with Beth. Not able to find it in himself to talk to the young girl next to him. The only thing that kept him going was the promise he had given Hermione. That he would find her. He had to find her._

 _He didn't know who else had survived, since the attack two days ago. They didn't know if anyone else had survived beside them. He tried not to think about it. Tried not to remember, who he had seen on the ground killed or eaten by walkers. He would lose it, if he gave in. He had already lost Merle. Shot down by one of those fuckers right next to him._

 _Daryl wondered, not for the first time, how things could have gone so bad so fast. The Governor had just shown up at their front gate, with countless people with a damn tank and tons of ammo, while holding Hershel and Michonne hostage, captured them after they had gone to dump the walker bodies. They should have known. Should have been more careful. Especially, when they had been at their weakest. Maybe they could have had a chance if their group had been strong again._

 _Harry and Glenn had been still recovering from sickness. Draco had been the first one, who immediately said, upon seeing their attackers approach the prison, that their magic and wards around the prison, wouldn't hold them. There were too many people to fight them all off, even with their magic. Hermione had tried to stay positive, hoping that Rick would talk some sense into the Governor and his people, but Daryl had seen in her eyes that she didn't believe in her own words and neither did he. He had known that it was useless from the beginning._

 _Draco had thought the same and came up with a plan to save Hershel and Michonne, before it would be too late. Daryl knew all too well how it must have felt for Draco to see Michonne being held at gun point and the fear of loosing her. The blonde wizard had to act fast and made the toughest call Daryl could imagine, by begging Hermione to protect his son and Andre no matter what happened to them. The boys had been inside the prison when shit was about to hit the fan. Hermione had freaked out at Draco's word. She wanted to help him and before Daryl could say anything, Draco had talked some sense into her and made her take the promise. The wizard hadn't been able to see his son one last time, before he used his magic to sneak upon the group._

 _Hermione had immediately apparated inside the building to bring the boys out and into a car, just as all hell broke loose, after Draco had literally blasted the Governor against the fence and disappeared with the older man. Michonne immediately rolled away. Daryl didn't know what had happened to them afterwards._

 _Everything had gone so fast after that. Hermione had hauled the children into a car, placed some magic on the vehicle, while she tried to find the other children. Daryl stayed close to her and made sure that she was covered, as the fences began to fall, and bombs and bullets rained down on them, killing countless people. Daryl had helped her finding anyone they could evacuate. Glenn and Harry had been put into a bus, with the other people, to get them out, since they were too weak to fight and could barely stand on their feet._

 _In the chaos, Hermione had been able to find Teddy and two other smaller children, a boy and a girl and put them into the car. Daryl had tried to find his brother, but there had not been any sign of him, nor could they find Carl, Judith, or the other children from their group. And when a grenade had almost hit the car with the children, Daryl had forced her to go. She had refused at first, not wanting to leave him behind, but he had to find his brother. He couldn't leave Merle behind. Not again._

 _Hermione had known that he was right and in the end, told him which direction she would take and where he would find her. She had pulled him into one last kiss and it had taken everything of him, to finally let go. He secretly hoped that this wouldn't be the last time he had seen her, as he had watched the car disappear at the end of the road, before he went to look for his brother._

 _Merle had been with Beth, protecting her, while he tried to find a way out. Walkers had begun to swarm from everywhere and made it impossible to fight and defend themselves at the same time. They had been ready to follow Hermione, when he was suddenly pushed away by Merle and saw his brother getting hit by a bullet. Daryl had immediately killed the shooter, but it had been already too late. His brother fell down, as blood flooded out of him. It had been a surreal moment for Daryl, as he and Beth had tried to stop the bleeding from his chest. There had been so much blood coming out of that wound and no matter how much he tried to stop it, the blood kept coming out. Soon after, Merle had died and Daryl had felt a piece of him dying with him._

 _Seeing the unmoving body of his brother, had sent him into shock. He couldn't seem to move away, not until he felt a slap against his face, snapping him out of his stupor. Beth had forced him to move and he went on autopilot. With one last look at his brother, he shot an arrow through his head and took off, with Beth following him._

 _The only thing that kept him moving was to find Hermione. The plan had been to find her with his bike, but it had been completely damaged by one of the bombs and all they could do was to go on foot._

 _Daryl and Beth had barely paused since then, only when they needed to rest. He had only exchanged a few words with her, telling her where they were going. At first, she began to ramble on, but when she realized that he wasn't in the mood to talk, she had stopped trying to talk to him so much and he was glad about it. He couldn't pretend that things were ok or begin some mindless talk about some random shit. Not while he felt like his life has become useless and felt so damn helpless._

 _They walked down the deserted street road, where Hermione had told him they would take, when he began to see a few dead walkers on the road side with a familiar deep cut lines around the head and body. He had seen that enough to know that it was caused by magic. Hope began to flare in him. Hermione had to be here somewhere._

 _Daryl picked up his space and tried to find the car, but all he saw was emptiness. Just an empty road, but Daryl kept walking, even when he felt exhausted and tired. He had to find her. He looked frantically around and then out of nowhere, Hermione appeared on the road, running towards him. Daryl felt his heart leaping within his chest as he rushed towards her. His whole body began to shake as he closed the distance. He could see the tears on her face and even his own sight began to get blurry with tears. His whole emotions came crashing down on him, just as she jumped into his arms and gave him a tight hug, with her arms and legs wrapped around him._

 _He didn't know whose body was shaking has he held her at that point. She cried heavily in his arms and said over and over again, "You came."_

 _Daryl couldn't find his voice and only tightened his arms around her, while he buried his face into her neck. He couldn't hold back the tears any longer, the relief of her being alive and back in his arms was too much. He had come too close to losing her again. Hermione pulled away after a moment and Daryl immediately pulled her into a deep kiss, which she returned just as much._

 _"I love you," he whispered, after a pulled a little and looked into her face. She looked at him with rapt attention, while she touched his face, brushing the few of his tears away._

 _"And I love you," she whispered back and kissed him once again._

 _When he felt a little back in control, Daryl noticed that he was sitting on his knees with Hermione still wrapped around him. She slowly pulled away from him, before she turned towards Beth and hugged her tightly, as they said a few words. Daryl didn't listen, all his attention was on Hermione. He wanted her back in his arms and never let go._

 _Hermione moved away and looked behind him with a frown before she met Daryl's eyes and asked, "Where's Merle?"_

 _Daryl looked away and felt a new wave of pain coming on him at the memory of his brother's death. He felt a sudden familiar hand in his much rougher one, squeezing it tightly. Looking down, he met Hermione's deep brown eyes, which looked back with sorrowful understanding._

 _"Come. Teddy and the others must feel pretty anxious right now. I told him to stay with the kids," Hermione said and gently pulled him towards the direction she came from. He was thankful that she didn't press on or asked any more questions about Merle. He didn't know how he would have held it together, if she had said anything else about it._

 _Hermione stopped after a moment, just as Daryl and Beth were about to move away from that spot. Hermione quickly waved her wand, which made the strange urge away and led them through and suddenly, just like that, a car appeared before them, with a group of kids close to it. Scorpius, Andre and Teddy called their names and came rushing to them. Teddy made a beeline for Beth and pulled her into a tight hug, asking questions a mile a minute. Scorpius and Andre rushed to Daryl and hugged his legs tightly._

 _Daryl bent down on his leg and pulled the two boys into his arms, hugging them tightly. He was glad that nothing had happened to them. Looking up, he saw the other two kids, a boy and a girl probably a year or two older than Scorpius and Andre, smiling shyly back at him. Hermione went to them and comforted them gently, before they rushed to Beth and hugged her._

 _"Mom and Scorp's dad are coming too," Andre said and Daryl's head snapped to the boy in surprise._

 _"Aunt Minie talked with dad and made this magic otter," Scorpius continued._

 _"Is- Is my dad ok?" Beth asked nervously, upon hearing the boys talk._

 _Hermione smiled a little and said, "Yes, Draco got him out. Michonne, Carl and Rick are together, coming in our direction. I will explain everything later, but I think we should keep going. The walkers are getting more on this road and the wards were barely able to hold, last time."_

 _Daryl nodded and stood up, guiding the two boys closer to the car. "Is it still moving?" he asked, eyeing the vehicle._

 _"No," Hermione answered and grabbed her handbag to pull out two bottles of water, giving him and Beth each one. Hermione looked back at him spoke gently, "We ran out of fuel when we came here and we decided to wait, until you found us… I couldn't go without you."_

* * *

Soon afterwards, they had packed up and moved on, to seek higher grounds. They had needed a more secure place, until the others could catch up with them. Daryl had led them to a certain direction, where a rundown shack had been, which he had found with Michonne during one of those supply runs. He hadn't liked the idea of getting Hermione and the kids to a place like this, still didn't, but there hadn't been much of an option.

Traveling with so many kids had been dangerous. The only one who he could really count on being able to put up a fight, was Hermione. Beth and Teddy, while able to hold their own, were still too inexperienced to fight against a group of walkers, people or assess a dangerous situation correctly.

Teddy and Beth had carried Andre and Scorpius, after Hermione had placed a Feather-Light Spell on their clothes to make the journey easier on them. He and Hermione needed to be ready to defend their small group and therefore needed to be able to move faster. Even if they had to run away from danger, which had happened several times, they had picked up the two smaller kids, Luke and Molly, and made a run for it.

On the first day, of their travel, Daryl hadn't moved too far away from Hermione. Had always made sure that she was close, while she had quietly explained to him what she knew about the others.

A few hours, after the prison had been destroyed, she had been able to get in touch with Draco first. He had told her that he was with Michonne, Carl, Hershel and Rick, the latter had been pretty beaten up, because of the Governor. Even Michonne and Draco had been anxious to get in contact with Hermione, to make sure their kids were still safe.

Rick and Carl had been pretty beaten up about the fate of Judith, believing that she had died that day, until Draco had been able to get in touch with Harry, a few hours later. He had told them that he was with Carol and Sophia, after they had saved him and Judith, who had been with him, before mother and daughter found him, cornered by walkers. Rick and Carl had been relieved by that news.

The next day, Harry's group had found Tyreese with two little girls and now they were resting in an abandoned house, for a day or two, until Harry could regain his strength back.

Hermione had explained to him that she would get in touch with Draco and Harry, every night during sunset and every morning, before dawn to keep them updated. It had been huge relief back than to know that so many had been still alive.

When they had reached the shack, Hermione had quickly placed some wards around the run down place, before she set up the tent in the middle of the living room and let the kids inside. He had refused to go with them inside and had claimed that he wanted to stay put and keep watch, in case something happened. Daryl had been well aware that Hermione's magic was strong. It was just being back in this place, had brought back a slice of reality of who he truly was and for the first time had truly realized how different he was to Hermione and how unworthy of her.

* * *

 _The sun was about to set, when Hermione came out with Beth. Daryl sat a little further away, against a wall, or what appeared to be as such and watched Hermione produce a Patronus, sending Draco a message first, letting him know that he and Beth had found them and were safe for tonight. She described the shack they were staying and that Michonne had been here with Daryl, in order to give her a sense of direction. Afterwards, Hermione let Beth give her father a message, telling him that she was fine and happy that he was safe too._

 _As soon as the first Patronus left, Beth returned back into the tent, while Hermione cast another one, with a similar message to Harry._

 _Hermione smiled at him, which made his heart skip a beat, while she walked into his arms, and sat on his lap. Without missing a beat, Daryl wrapped his armed around her and held her close. He took a deep breath and enjoyed the scent of her._

 _"I've missed you," Hermione said gently in his arms._

 _Daryl's arms tightened around her, before he said, "Me too."_

 _Both stayed silent, until he quietly said, "I grew up in a place like that."_

 _Hermione didn't say anything and only nodded into his chest. He knew she had said that she didn't care, but he needed to make her understand, who he really was. Daryl needed her to know with whom she was dealing with and if she decided to leave, he would let her, knowing that it would destroy him in the process._

 _"My dad, he would get one of those," Daryl began and pointed at a pink plastic bra ashtray in the far corner. "Set it up on top of the TV set, use them as target practice."_

 _Hermione still didn't say anything, just stroked his chest in return. "Remember that shed out there? My dad had a place just like this. To burn their own booze. You got your dumpster chair," he said, pointing at another corner. "That's for sitting in your drawers all summer, drinking. Got your fancy buckets. That's for spitting chaw in, after your old lady tells you to stop smoking."_

 _He stopped talking when a snarling came from outside. Hermione and Daryl jumped up and looked out the window. The walker moved away from the house and walked away. Not noticing the presence of the group._

 _Daryl sighed in relief and sat back down and before he could wonder if Hermione would want to sit somewhere else, after telling her this story, she quickly took her previous spot on his lap and snuggled back into him. His heart beat hard in his chest, as he held her._

 _"Was it different when you moved in with Merle?"_

 _Daryl shook his head and said, "Nah. Was the same shit-hole. Difference was that I hadn't to deal with the old man. He was a dumbass."_

 _Hermione just listened and didn't say anything else, only stroked his chest gently, which calmed him down._

 _"This is with who you're dealing with, Hermione. A rundown, good for nothing screwup. A nobody. Nothing. Some redneck asshole with an even bigger asshole for a brother… I ain't good enough for you."_

 _Hermione's hand stopped moving on his chest, as she tensed in his arms. For a moment, he believed that this had finally made her see who he really was, but when she looked up at him she only narrowed his eyes and pursed her lips a little. He'd usually lean in kiss her whenever she would have that expression on her face, but right now, he waited for her to say something._

 _"I love you, Daryl, and I don't use those words lightly. I love you for who you are. I don't care about where you came from or what you might have had to offer or not. Your past is just that, your past. It made you for who you are."_

 _"Which is a fuck-up," he cut in, only to get a glare from her. Probably for using those words and labeling himself that way._

 _She took a deep breath and said, "Do you know what I think, when I look around here and knowing that you had to grow up in such a place?"_

 _Daryl didn't say anything as he waited for her to continue._

 _"I see someone who, despite all of these obstacles in his life, became someone good in the end. You, Daryl Dixon, are loyal, brave, kindhearted, loving, and fair-minded. You know what's right and wrong. You choose to be who you are and I love you, Daryl. As I said, I don't care about your past. It just saddens me that you had to grow up this way."_

 _He leaned closer and brushed his lips for a brief kiss._

 _"It's ok," Daryl said after he ended the kiss and touched her face gently, brushing the loose strand of hair behind her ear._

 _"It's not," she denied. "You didn't deserve this kind of life here. I had hoped that things would have been better for you, once Merle took you in."_

 _Daryl's mind went back to all those times, when Merle had left him alone at their new place. While he wasn't like their old pops, he hadn't been there for him._

 _"I never relied on Merle for protection, when I moved in with him. My brother always said to watch your own ass and never play the hero," he said and snorted at the irony of it all. He took a deep breath and forced himself to continue,"He pushed me away. Back at the prison… everything was chaos… found him with Beth… Kept her safe… we wanted to leave… and then he pushed me away. Didn't see that son of a bitch aiming his gun at me… Merle got hit… got the bullet meant for me."_

 _Hermione's eyes had widened in shock and horror, before she wrapped her arms around him and held him tightly. Daryl felt the walls he had built around himself, since the death of his brother, crumbling down. Not able to hold the wave of grief back, for the loss of his brother. His whole body shook as he cried into her shoulder, as he remembered the last moments of his brother. He was torn between feeling guilty that it was his fault for Merle's death and grateful that he had given him another chance to be still be with Hermione. Something he could never repay._

 _He didn't know how long he had been crying in her arms, when she said, "Merle cared and loved you in his own way. He died protecting you. I will never forget that and will be always grateful for what he did."_

 _"The Governor rolled right up to our gates," Daryl cut in, trying to control the feeling of loss and anger in him. "Maybe if I wouldn't have stopped looking for… 'cause I gave up. That's on me."_

 _Hermione pulled away and glared determinately at him. "This is not your fault, Daryl. We all tried to find him. The only one we can blame this is on, is the Governor, that foul, loathsome, narcissistic, evil bastard."_

 _Daryl chuckled at her words. Hermione rarely cursed and would mostly scold anyone from using bad words, sometimes even him, which he had always found kinda cute. Especially, when she got all riled up and gave him those cute glares, which for some reason Harry, Draco and Teddy were scared of. But when Hermione cursed, it was something else. She would always be flustered, say a series of badass words that sounded more stuck up and funny than really bad. Not that he would ever tell her this._

 _For a moment, both simply looked at each other before she leaned in and kissed him slowly. Being away from her for two days, not knowing if he would ever find her had been torture. Added with the death of his brother and not knowing if anyone else had survived, beside Beth and himself, had been his own personal hell._

 _Hermione gently broke the kiss and said gently, not able to hide her own sadness, "I'm sorry about Merle."_

 _Daryl simply nodded, not able to find the words to say anything else. Hermione leaned back against him, her head rested against his chest and said, "We will make a better future for us, once we find a new place… and then we will put… all of this behind us. We will never allow the same mistakes to happen again."_

 _Daryl nodded and agreed with her, "We won't."_

 _Hermione returned to gently rub with one hand against his chest, which calmed him again, before she broke the silence and asked, "Tell me something about Merle. Something funny."_

 _His mind drifted back to the bar he went with Merle a few years ago and where his brother had lost his pants to poker. There weren't many good memories left between him and Merle, but he cherished those he had._

* * *

A/N: I hope you liked it the turn of event. I wanted to grasp the internal struggle, fear and grief of Daryl. I don't think those things can completely disappear, even if you are happy and in love. I would imagine that Daryl would keep working himself and his insecurities... but there is Hermione to help him through. ;)

And as you might have figured out, things will get a little serious for a while, so be ready and I hope you will like where this will be going :)

Here is my Playlist:

Heavy In Your Arms by Florence + The Machine

Forgive Us Our Trespasses by Audiomachine

Tangled Earth by Audiomachine

Civilian by Wye Oak

P.S. Have fun watching the new episode of The Walking Dead!


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Hi everyone! It is so great that so many people have come to enjoy this story! So thank you all who favorite and follows the story! Also a big thank you for everyone who takes the time to leave a review. It is nice to see what you think and what you like about the chapter! So thank you all so much!

I also want to thank uoduck again for beta reading this story. You are simply amazing!

Hope you enjoy the chapter!

* * *

Chapter 6

* * *

The two of them had talked for hours, about the good and bad actions that Merle had done and his life with him. Daryl had told her things he had never said to anyone else, and even today, he hadn't repeated those stories to anyone else ever since.

Reliving those memories of his older brother had helped him to accept and mourn the loss of him. It had brought Merle into a different light and made Hermione understand where Daryl was coming from and the relationship to his brother. In a way, it had also helped Daryl to accept and see the change he had made over the years.

There were still days, important days, in his life when he would miss his brother the most, even when Merle had been an asshole half the time.

In the morning, after Hermione got in touch with Harry and Draco, they had packed up and continued on their journey. But before they could have left, Hermione cast a spell at the shack and then transfigured a piece of wood into a torch and explained that it was magical fire, which could burn down the whole shack if he threw it inside. Daryl had been confused and moved by this and when he had asked why she would do something like that for him, she simply said, _"Maybe it's time to move on and let the past go."_ Which was what he did in the end. Daryl had taken the torch and threw it inside. Their little group had watched the whole building light up on fire. The spell Hermione had cast on the house would make sure that the fire wouldn't spread out.

Daryl still remembered the feeling of relief wash over him, as he watched the shack burn down. Like his past was finally just this, the past and not part of him anymore.

His thoughts were interrupted, when Hermione moved closer into his embrace and put her hand on his chest. Daryl tightened his grip gently on her, as he watched her sleep in his arms. Without her, Daryl knew that he wouldn't be the man he was today or even gone through those difficult days when they were alone with the kids, which was very difficult for them, especially on Scorpius, Andre, Luke and Molly.

Their little group couldn't travel too long without getting tired or scared of the sounds. Sometimes they had been faced with too many walkers, to make a run for it and Hermione would tell Teddy to cast a shield around the kids, Beth and himself, while Hermione and Daryl handled the situation. Beth and Teddy had wanted to help on many occasions, but Hermione had simply explained to him the importance of his own role and job.

Draco's and Harry's group had been still too far away and coming from completely different directions. Then there was Hershel with his prosthetic leg that Hermione had transfigured for him shortly after his wounds on the limp had healed. Even though, the old man could walk with it, he simply couldn't be on his feet for hours, which meant that Draco's group had to take more breaks. Time hadn't been on their side, and waiting for either group to catch up to them was just too dangerous. Daryl had known that the only way to ensure their survival was to keep moving and Hermione had thankfully agreed with him.

A week, or maybe more than a week had passed, when they had thought to have finally found a place safe enough to wait for the others.

They should have never set foot in that place.

* * *

 _The weather was getting colder. The food supplies they had were running out. Thankfully, Hermione and Teddy could cast water in the empty bottles, which had helped them a lot, while Daryl tried to hunt the few animals that were still around the woods and not hibernating._

 _Together with Beth, Hermione would make some soup or stew with herbs she had and meat Daryl could find to feed everyone. She had told him that she would put certain potion ingredients in their food to keep them nourished and sated longer._

 _This had been pretty much their daily routine, until their path lead into an open graveyard, where at the end of the field, they had found a big white house. There were no walkers in sight and everything looked quiet. Maybe a little too quiet, but it was the best thing they had seen in a long time._

 _It was quickly decided that Daryl and Hermione would lead the way towards the house. Upon reaching the building, Hermione cast a spell to reveal any living person inside, while they stood out on the porch._

 _"There is no one inside. Not any living person, that is," Hermione said after a moment. Daryl nodded, knowing the limitation of that spell that could only detect any living being, not walkers or corpses._

 _Daryl walked towards the door and slowly opened it. He glanced back at Hermione, as he pulled his crossbow up and said, "Le'me check it out first. Wait here."_

 _And before Hermione could even protest, Daryl quickly stole a kiss and moved inside the house. He made some loud noises at the outside doorframe as he walked slowly forward. He couldn't hear anything. No rustling or moaning. Not even the rotten smell of walkers was there. Everything looked clean and tidy, nothing like any other abandoned houses he had raided in the last two years. Looking around the place, Daryl had soon figured out that it was the home of a mortician and by the look of it, the guy still continued his work; dressing up walkers, giving them a make-over and letting them appear like humans again and not walkers._

 _He didn't let his mind wander longer about it, and went back out to let Hermione and the others know that it was safe. Hermione shared the same confused look he had moments ago, as she looked around. Beth and Teddy weren't so quiet about it and wondered if anyone would come back here._

 _Hermione had simply said, "If they are trustworthy, then it will be all right, I guess. But in the meantime, I want to set up wards around this building. I don't want any surprises, while we are here. Maybe we can finally stay and wait for the others to catch up to us."_

 _Daryl secretly hoped the same, as he stood close to her. Hermione had quickly instructed Beth and Teddy to go look for food, while she would take care of the wards. The two teenagers took the little kids with them as they headed towards the kitchen. Daryl followed Hermione to make sure that she was safe, while she placed the spells around the house, beginning by the front porch and door and then circling around the building._

 _He could see how much strain this was putting on her and when she was finished, she looked ready to drop. Daryl quickly supported her and asked worriedly, "You all right?"_

 _"Yes, I just need to rest for a bit," Hermione assured him and went to stand on her own, but he wouldn't have it. Daryl helped her back inside and into the kitchen, and saw all the kids sitting around a small table with a few bottles of supplies on them. There were peanut butter, jelly, diet soda, and other glasses and cans of food._

 _He and Hermione went to inspect and listened to Beth, as she explained how they had found food in the kitchen shelf. He looked closer at the shelf and noted that it was also quite clean, just like the rest of the house. He turned towards Teddy and asked, "Did'cha clean them with a spell?"_

 _"No. We found it like that. Why? Is something wrong?"_

 _Daryl shook his head and explained, "It means someone just put it here. This is someone's stash. Maybe they're still alive. All right. We'll take some of it, and we'll leave the rest for now, all right?"_

 _Everyone nodded at his words and Hermione smiled at him, which made Daryl lock eyes with her and he knew he had made the right call. Hermione closed the distance to him and gave him a quick kiss on his lips._

 _"It's a good idea, Daryl. We will wait and see, but for now let's have something to eat," she said and turned towards the smaller kids with a smile, "I bet you all want some snacks now, until we make a real dinner."_

 _The kids cheered and smiled for the first time in days. Daryl and Hermione made the smaller kids something to eat first, before they would fix themselves some food. While doing so on the counter, Daryl couldn't help but tease Hermione, when he was opening a glass of jam, "I bet this would taste better on you."_

 _Hermione's head snapped towards Daryl and he laughed lightly at the expression she wore. Her eyes were wide, mouth hung open and she wore a bright blush on her face. It wasn't often that Daryl could render her speechless, or take her off guard and whenever he could, he absolutely loved every moment of it._

 _Soon enough, Hermione got her senses back and bit her lip, while trying not to smile at the image he had created. She hit him lightly on the shoulder and scolded him. Not that her words had any heat to it._

 _The mood around the place had been, for the first time since they had lost their home and even before the sickness had broken out in the prison, calm and peaceful. He helped Hermione, kept an eye on things and re-checked the building, just to make sure that everything was alright._

 _At nightfall, the smaller kids were so exhausted, they fell quickly asleep on the couch, listening to Beth's piano playing. The casket in the room had been removed to the basement, which Hermione sealed magically, after removing all medical supplies in the cabinets. Teddy sat on the ground, leaning against the piano while Beth, played and sung softly. Teddy looked dreamily up at Beth and wasn't even hiding it. Hell, his own hair turned pink on top of that. Daryl snorted in amusement, at the display then plopped next to Hermione and put an arm around her, to pull her closer. Hermione gently poked him with her elbow and just smiled at them. After a while, Hermione set up the tent, not wanting to have everyone spread out in the other rooms, to which he agreed to. The magical tent was more than enough to keep the kids comfortable. He didn't like the idea of letting them wander around this place, even with the wards surrounding them._

 _Daryl and Hermione stayed in the room, outside the tent to keep watch on everything. It was a quiet night, without anyone showing up at this place and the longer they were alone, the more he believed that whoever lived here was probably dead by now._

 _By sunrise, Hermione quickly sent Harry and Draco each one a Patronus, assuring them that they were still safe at the new place they were staying. Afterwards, he helped Hermione set up a breakfast. She mixed the ingredients she had in her beaded handbag with the supplies they had found in the house. Soon enough, the small army of kids came rushing to the kitchen, eating anything and everything they dished them._

 _Daryl could only imagine how hard this whole situation was for the kids, especially to be away from their parents in a dangerous world, not able to fight or protect themselves. They were just about to finish their breakfast, when suddenly Hermione stood up and looked out of the window with her wand in hand._

 _Daryl quickly grabbed his crossbow and stood next to Hermione, knowing that something happened to get her to react like that._

 _"Is someone here?" Daryl asked in a low voice, trying not to scare the children._

 _Hermione turned to him and said, "Something tried to cross the ward. I think it's an animal."_

 _Daryl nodded and followed Hermione. She quickly told the kids to stay put, while they checked out the wards. Daryl moved ahead and slowly opened the door. To his surprise, he found a stray white dog down the porch, just behind the wards. Hermione moved past him and closer to the dog, before he could say anything. But as soon as she walked out of the wards to reach the dog, he bolted and took off. Hermione sighed and walked back to Daryl, who placed in arm around her and pulled against him._

 _Together, they quickly walked back to the kitchen and explained what it had been. Of course, Luke, Molly, Andrea and Scorpius began to get all these puppy eyes, asking if they could keep the dog, if he showed up again._

 _"Maybe," Daryl spoke up, "If he's come back around. Come on, finish up. We'll play something then."_

 _It was a quiet day and nothing happened after the dog showed up in the morning. The whole day, they kept busying themselves with the kids, helping them getting a sense of normality and safety. Hermione and Beth handled the food, while Teddy and Daryl watched over the kids and kept an eye on everything._

 _Everything appeared quiet, just like the night before. The kids went back to bed, in the tent. Teddy and Beth, on the other hand were still up and playing some magical exploding card game. By now, Daryl and Hermione didn't believe that whoever lived here would come back. It had been two days and there was no sign of anyone._

 _Daryl held Hermione in his arms, when she suddenly tensed and jumped up. Daryl quickly grabbed his crossbow, when he saw the fear in her eyes. A dog barked a moment later, before it whined and stopped all together._

 _Before he could ask anything, Hermione spoke quickly, "Teddy, I need you to ward this room. Put up a silencing spell and don't let anyone in, until I come-"_

 _"What? Why? I can help if something-," Teddy quickly argued._

 _"No!" Hermione cut him off before she continued, "You need to stay here and protect them. Don't leave this room, Teddy. They need you!"_

 _Daryl quickly crossed the distance to the window and saw a herd of walkers almost surrounding the place. He cursed under his breath and looked back at Hermione, Teddy and Beth. He saw the boy nodding to Hermione, before she pulled him into a hug. She quickly pulled out a gun from her magical handbag and handed it over to Beth._

 _"Just in case you come to need it. No matter what you hear, don't leave this room."_

 _Beth nodded at her words. Hermione quickly went to Daryl. She put her wand back inside her wristband and pulled out a familiar gun with a silencing muzzle. He knew that if she cast magic at night, the lights would only attract more walkers to them, or worse reveal their location to people they didn't want to cross._

 _Daryl quickly took the lead and when he was about to go to the front door, Hermione stopped him, "They are right out there. We need to go from behind, see if it's safer from there, if not, we'll think of something else."_

 _Daryl nodded and quickly moved forward, with Hermione close behind. When he stood at the backdoor, Daryl looked between the window blinds and saw only two of them._

 _"It's safe," he whispered and looked at Hermione, who held her gun in both hands. "You're ready?"_

 _"Yes."_

 _With a last glance at her and trying to stop the growing worry inside of him for her, he opened the door slowly. Daryl rushed out quickly, as soon as he could and aimed his weapon at the closest walker, killing him with an arrow, before it could turn around. Hermione was right behind him, closing the door after herself and aimed her gun at the other walkers. A whizzing sound was all could be heard, as the walker went silent and fell to the ground with a thud. Together they moved slowly around the house, making quick work of the majority of them._

 _"If we split up, we can finish this faster, before they can cause more damage," Hermione suggested. "I'll go and take the other side, while you go from here."_

 _Daryl didn't want to let her out of his sight, but knew that she was right. They needed to kill the group walkers quickly, before they could breach her wards and break them down. It was a matter of time now._

 _He nodded at her and said, "Be careful."_

 _"You too," she said and then rushed to the other side. Daryl made quick work of the walkers and almost finished, until he heard a car door being shut that sent his heart racing. There hadn't been a car nearby, which could only mean that someone was here. From the sound of it, it came from where Hermione was supposed to be. Daryl forgot about the other walkers and ran in the direction Hermione had gone._

 _Naked fear came over him, at the thought of Hermione being in danger. He would never forgive himself if anything happened to her._

 _Daryl stopped in his tracks when he found Hermione's gun lying on the ground, without a trace of her. He kept running and then saw a car with a white cross on the back window taking off. He could feel his heart stop of what it meant._

 _"HERMIONE! HERMIONE!" Daryl screamed as he ran after the car. He couldn't lose her. Not like this. Not now. Not ever._

 _Then suddenly the truck burst open and Hermione jumped out. Daryl pushed his legs faster._

 _He watched in disbelief at the whole scene. Hermione quickly turned around and, pulled out her wand and sent a spell hurling at the car. The vehicle stopped immediately. He couldn't hear the series of spells Hermione sent flying at the car, but saw a man flying out of the driver's seat and onto the ground, before she hit him with another round of spells._

 _A wave of relief came over him as he pulled Hermione into his arms, hugging her tightly. His whole body was shaking in relief as he held her, as he tried to catch his breath. After a moment, he pulled away and looked her over. Daryl immediately noted the cut on her forehead, it wasn't too deep, but it still bled. A wave of fury came over him when he saw the wound. He quickly looked down at the unmoving body on the ground, crossed the distance and kicked him several times in the chest. He absently noted the police uniform he wore._

 _"You fuckin' son of a bitch!" He couldn't remember the last time he felt this pissed at someone._

 _Hermione placed a hand on his should, which made him stop and look back at her. He took a deep breath and tried to calm down, which wasn't really working_

 _"I think he is the reason, why so many walkers showed up all of a sudden. Let me read his mind and see if he was alone and what his plan was, Daryl."_

 _Daryl breathed heavily, but nodded in the end and stood up. He pulled Hermione back into his arms, just holding her for a moment, assuring himself that she was all right. He kissed her lips quickly and said, "I gotcha back."_

 _He swiftly raised his crossbow and killed the approaching walkers. Daryl knew that Hermione would need a moment to use her magic on the jackass. Daryl glanced back at Hermione who held her wand in the asshole's face and looked him deep in the eyes. He didn't like Hermione being close to him, but knew that it was necessary. He had seen her use this spell once before, back at the prison. She had used it on those people who had gotten sick first, to find out how they might have gotten the infection. Not that it had helped much._

 _Daryl didn't know how much time had passed, when Hermione gasped in horror and jumped away from the man. Daryl quickly turned towards her shaken and pale form._

 _"What? What did'cha see?" he asked worriedly._

 _He could see that Hermione tried to control her raging emotions, as her hair began to crackle. "He's a police officer, from Atlanta, and… and I was right, he lured the herd of walkers to us, to give you enough of a distraction so he could kidnap me. That's what they do… what he does. This was their place- It's their set up. He made it specifically. They take people.. Mostly women or teenagers, who they believe to be weak… and make them work for them… and… and he sexually abuses them. The women he supposedly rescues."_

 _Suddenly, Hermione's demeanor changed and she glared at the fucker on the ground. She aimed her wand and sent a spell at his legs, which was followed by the audible crack of broken bones. He could see the pain in the man's eyes, but was still immobilized to move or make a sound._

 _"He's been watching us, since we came here. Sent the dog to see how many were there and when he saw me, he believed he had found another prey," Hermione hissed the last part angrily, and sent the same spell on the man's arm. Daryl wanted to interfere, but knew that she had to do it. Hell, he would do it, if she didn't. Therefore, he stood back and made sure that no walker came close to her. The spells already caused lights to flash in the night, which meant that more walkers were on their way._

 _"I'm no one's victim, you bloody bastard!" Hermione stated furiously. She leaned closer and added hatefully, "You messed with the wrong one and it will be the last mistake you have ever made, Officer Gorman. Today, you will pay for everything you've done!"_

 _Hermione stepped away from the man, raised her wand and said,_ "Sectumsepra."

 _A bright white light shot right at him, slashing his chest up, making him bleed instantly. The wounds looked deep and quite painful. Then she aimed her wand at his head, cast a spell that made them able to hear the man, who screamed in pain._

 _"YOU WILL PAY FOR THIS, YOU BITCH! MY MEN WILL FIND YOU AND KILL YOU!"_

 _Daryl raised his crossbow at him and was about to shoot, but Hermione held him back and said, "No one beside this piece of filth is here, Daryl. If his men should arrive, nothing of him will be left. They will never know what happened to him."_

 _The walkers closed in on them and Hermione said, "Come, there is nothing more for us to do. The walkers will do the rest."_

 _"WHAT? NO!" the cop screamed on the ground, upon hearing Hermione's word. "I'M SORRY! PLEASE DON'T LEAVE ME HERE! PLEASE!"_

 _Daryl took Hermione's hand and walked away. He didn't want her around this piece of shit any longer. Hermione pushed the walkers with a little bit of wandless magic away from them. Soon enough, they heard the screams of the man, followed by flesh tearing sound and an even more blood curling scream. But they still kept moving and never looked back. They only stopped for a moment to pick up Hermione's gun._

 _Together they quickly secured the place, like they had planned originally. Only a handful of walkers were left. Thankfully the wards were still up. Hermione and Daryl made quick work of them. When they were sure that no more danger lurked around, they crossed the wards and Hermione recharged the protections around them, before they went back inside._

 _Beth and Teddy knew instantly, upon seeing them that something had happened. Hermione was in no shape to say anything, so Daryl quickly gave them a washed up version of what happened and that they were safe for now, but come morning they would need to leave._

 _Hermione still hadn't said a word, even when Teddy and Beth asked if she was all right. Not even when Daryl treated her wound on the forehead with a magical salve Teddy gave him._

 _Not until they were alone in the small room with the tent, when Daryl took her in his arms, did she finally came out of the shock she had been. His heart broke, the moment Hermione cried heavily against his chest. He held her tightly and let her get through the shock of her first human kill._

* * *

A/N: What a game changer, huh? I hope you enjoyed the change of plans for this story. Please let me know what your thoughts are on the chapter, and Hermione's part in it?

Until next time… oh and have fun watching the next episode of The Walking Dead (sheesh the previous episode was just freaking amazing!)!

Here is my Playlist:

Long Way Home by John Licht

Oats in the Water by Ben Howard

One Last Breath by Maelstrom


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: I'm really happy that so many people enjoy this story. :) Thank you all for the nice reviews and all the alerts!

A big thank you to uoduck for proofreading this chapter.

Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 7

* * *

Daryl looked down at the peaceful sleeping face and gently brushed a strand of hair away. She hadn't always been this calm and relaxed when she rested. He still remembered how she had fallen asleep in his arms that day, when she had killed the cop.

Hermione had broken down in his arms, unable to hold back and cried herself to sleep, while still wearing that haunted look.

Daryl hadn't been able to find any rest that night. His own emotions had been still all over the place, the fear of losing her still too real.

It had taken some time, months even to get finally over the almost panic like fear of losing her, but still, even today, there was this need inside of him that had to make sure that everything was safe and secure for them. That nothing could happen to take everything away from him. Daryl knew that a great piece of him would die along with her, if he ever lost Hermione. All that would be left behind would be a shell of a man.

Whenever they had been faced with any dangerous situation, this fear was a constant part of him. It pushed him forward to fight harder and protect her at all costs. No matter what. No matter from whom. Anyone who stood in his way or posed a threat had to be handled with.

* * *

 _The once happy mood, they had in the last two days, was completely gone in the morning, after Hermione's almost being kidnaped by a freaking cop. Daryl hadn't been a fan of cops in his life before the dead had begun to walk, but this had taken his dislike and distrust to a whole new level._

 _Hermione had been quieter than usual and it worried Daryl to see her like this._

 _Especially, when she had a hard time creating her Patronus spell at dawn. The only thing she was able to produce was a whips of a light, which began to frustrate Hermione. Knowing what the spell consisted of, Daryl had taken her mind off by simply pulling her into a deep kiss. He didn't know how long they were making out, when he gently pulled away and got her to smile a little bit at him. He felt a deep relief seeing that small smile on her face and soon enough the spell had worked again. She quickly informed both wizards of what had happened the previous night and of their plan to be on their way again, since staying any longer was just too dangerous._

 _Afterwards, the kids had woken up, and Hermione and Daryl had tried to explain why they needed to be on the move again, without revealing too much of yesterday's events. Luke, Molly, Scorpius and Andre hadn't liked the idea one bit and became upset at the information. Hermione tried to calm them down and explain that staying was too dangerous for them, promising that their parents would come soon and that nothing would happen to them._

 _With the help of Teddy and Beth, they quickly left the place. Both teenagers packed anything they would need, like food, blankets, pillows, medical supplies, dishes and anything else that could be useful for them._

 _Now, they were back on the road, with the kids a little behind them. Together with Hermione, the two of them made sure that no danger met their group. It was the usual way, he and Hermione took their journey with the kids. Beth and Teddy, carried Scorpius and Andre most of the time. Luke and Molly were carried by Hermione and himself, if they get too tired to walk and when the time for a break was too soon for the group._

 _Things were quiet, only the occasional walker from time to time, which they quickly took care off. They were about to take a break, when they spotted a group of men coming towards them. Hermione and Daryl instantly raised their weapons at them, as they kept walking._

 _"Teddy, Beth, take the children and walk a little away from us," Hermione ordered them. Thankfully, they did as they were told._

 _"We'll kill them, if they're dangerous," Daryl stated quietly. He needed her to know the option they had and that she would need to be ready to do so. He wouldn't take the chance with the children or Hermione's safety. Looking closely at the six approaching man, it looked like they wouldn't have any other choice._

 _"I know," was all Hermione said. He glanced at her for a moment and saw the gun aimed at them with her left hand, while her wand was in her other, next to her leg._

 _When the group began to spread, Hermione quickly shot close to their feet and said, "That's close enough."_

 _"Well, look at here," spoke the oldest guy from the group, trying to appear confident that he wasn't even holding a weapon, compared to his other men. Daryl trained his crossbow at the old man, while Hermione had a close eye on the others._

 _"I'm claimin' her," someone snickered, which made Daryl tense at the words. "She's hot!" He glanced at the lanky guy with a black beard, knowing that he would be the first one Daryl would kill today. Hermione on the other hand, looked calm and collected, holding the weapon steady in her hand._

 _"Hold up," the older man spoke up and took another step, and Daryl ordered in an angry voice, "Stay the fuck where you are, man!"_

 _"Okay, okay," the man said and held his hands up, and still didn't seem a bit worried. "I'm sure we can help each other. A woman, who's skilled with weapons and a bowman. I can respect that."_

 _"No, thank you," Hermione spoke up._

 _The man cocked his head to the side and looked at them close. "You think you both could stand a chance against us? With so many of my boys here, they can easily drop you two several times over. Then we get the others right behind you. That what you both want?"_

 _"Hell yeah," a balding fat guy spoke up, "I claim the blond boy, bet'cha he's really sweet."_

 _Daryl's hand tightened on his gun. He would rather die than let one of these fuckers touch these kids. He heard a magical crackle next to him and he didn't have to look at Hermione to see that she was getting furious. Hermione quickly moved and aimed her gun at the fat guy, which immediately made everyone else raise their weapons at the two of them._

 _"What did you say?" Hermione asked in a dangerous voice._

 _The older man just shrugged and found the whole scene somehow funny. "Well, Dan has a special likin' you see."_

 _The men next to him laughed at his words._

 _"Teddy, I want you to cast the strongest shield you can make and do it fast, as soon as I tell you. Beth, tell the kids to close their eyes and hold ears," Hermione explained calmly, but Daryl could still hear the shaken anger in her voice._

 _Another man laughed, "What'cha gonna do, pretty girl? Taking us all down?"_

 _"NOW TEDDY!" Hermione shouted and one swift moment, when all attention were on the kids, Hermione disarmed every man on the field, with a wide wave of her wand. Daryl didn't wait for anything else and quickly killed the black bearded jackass and then the leader next him, with an arrow at their head. Hermione began to shoot at them quickly killing the other three, and injuring the fat guy. The whimpering motherfucker tried to run away and Daryl shot another arrow on through his leg, making him fall to the ground screaming. Hermione and Daryl closed the distance between them. He quickly stepped on the injured leg hard, making him scream more, until his voice was magically cut off, before the children could hear this._

 _"Ya like hurtin' lil' boys, huh, ya piece of shit?" Daryl asked angrily and kicked the fat shit on the ground, not expecting him to answer his questions, as he continued to beat him._

 _"Be grateful, that we don't have the time to make you pay," Hermione spoke and pointed her wand at him. "But I will make you suffer your last moment on earth." Without warning Hermione cast a spell at the man's dick and the man's mouth opened in a silent scream. It was a cutting spell he had seen her use many times before._

 _Daryl took a step away from the man, knowing that Hermione wasn't finished with the bastard and he was right. Hermione aimed her wand at the man and swiftly cast the same spell she did to the cop, just the night before. Daryl slowly walked to her and pulled her into his arms. He made her turn around, not wanting her to watch the piece of crap die. He didn't want her to have another night of restless night._

 _Her body begun to shake and he tightened his arms around her, just as he felt his shirt getting wet from her tears._

 _"He wanted to… was going to…" Hermione cried into his chest._

 _"I know… I know," Daryl spoke calmly, as he glared at the dying man. "But he didn't. We stopped them all…. They can't hurt anyone anymore."_

 _Hermione nodded into his chest. A moment later she calmed down and pulled away. Daryl leaned closer and kissed her quickly, "Come, we need to get to the others."_

 _She nodded again and glanced one last time at the fat asshole, who was losing more and more blood on the ground. Teddy and Beth looked visibly relieved and shaken, as they walked back to them. The kids had all their backs turned around and held up their hands against their ears, while Beth stood, holding a gun close to them. Teddy slowly lowered his wand, which had been raised in the air and ended the spell._

 _Daryl and Hermione stood before the kids, cutting the view behind them. "Hey, everything is all right now," Hermione spoke calmly._

 _"Are the bad men gone?" Luke asked fearfully._

 _"Yeah, they're all gone. Don'cha worry, lil'man," Daryl said next to Hermione._

 _"But we want you to do something for us, ok," Hermione continued and tried to smile at them. "We are going to carry you all for a bit, but we want you to close your eyes, until we say that it is fine to look again."_

 _"Why?" asked Scorpius with a frown._

 _"Cause, we're playing a game," Daryl spoke up. "Want to see who can hear the first owl wins the game."_

 _"But I thought owls only fly at night," Molly said confused._

 _This time Teddy answered the kids, having picked up what they were doing and said, "There are a few owls that fly during the daytime as well. Magical owls do that, for example."_

 _The kids eyes brightened at the thought of a magical owl. Hermione smiled at Teddy, for his quick thinking. Even Beth cut in and further explained the game by saying, "And you can hear those day owls only if you close your eyes and listen very carefully."_

 _Soon enough, they were on board. Hermione placed some spell on the kids to make carrying them lighter, before she picked up Luke. Daryl took Molly, while Beth carried Andre and Teddy, Scorpius._

 _After making sure the kids had their eyes closed they swiftly walked past the dead bodies on the ground, not sparing them any glanced. Daryl did look at the fat jackass and noted that he was finally dead, which was still too good for someone like him._

 _The rest of the journey was much more calm and the new train tracks gave them a bit of a higher ground. The open streets were just too dangerous, with the car and the group of crazy men. And anyway, Harry's and Draco's group had mentioned that they follow those train-tracks as well, that showed a way to place called Terminus._

 _While they were walking, Daryl kept an eye on Hermione. He knew she was strong and powerful, but it didn't stop him from worrying about her. The kids had fallen asleep, after half an hour of being carried._

 _When the sun began to set, Hermione informed Harry and Draco of their position and that they were safe, leaving out the group of men they had come across, before they set up the tent and wards around them. Daryl kept watch, while they prepared dinner and took care of the kids inside the tent._

 _Hermione walked out with a plate of food and cup of drink and sat next to him. Daryl leaned closer and gave her a gentle kiss, thanking her, before he began to eat. A stew, which he knew she would always add a few drops of a special potion mixture, to make it more nourishing. Added with the spices, she had in supply, the stew always tasted good and kept them a long time on their feet, without feeling exhausted or hungry too quickly._

 _Daryl made quick work of his food and put it to the side as soon as he was finished. Hermione hadn't said anything yet and he began to worry about that._

 _"Hermione?" Daryl said, getting her attention, even though she was sitting right next to him._

 _"I've never felt this… rage in my entire life," she finally said still not looking at him._

 _He couldn't bear see Hermione this distraught and quickly pulled Hermione into his lab. Wrapping his arms around her, while she rested her head against his chest. A moment later she continued, "The thought of Scorpius near that vile creature… I wanted to hurt him. Really hurt him."_

 _"You did," Daryl added calmly, "and so did I. He deserved it and so much more."_

 _Hermione nodded against his chest, but didn't say anything. He knew Hermione. She was one of the most kindhearted people he had ever met, one who still believed in the good side of people, that there was still something out there for them to make it through this chaos, the world had turned into. Daryl could guess that she was beginning to doubt everything she had believed in, that they still had a chance for a better place. While he was a pessimist by nature, not trusting people easily or when he secretly doubted that they could have a peaceful life, he never wanted for Hermione to feel this way. He never wanted her to doubt their 'happily ever after'._

 _It was one of the reasons why he fell in love with her. He loved the hopeful side of her, something he never could do for himself, and now, seeing her in this much emotional struggle, begun to hurt him too. He didn't want her to lose hope for a better life together. He needed her to believe that things could turn for the better._

* * *

A few hours later, after they had watched over the campsite, they heard a sound outside the ward. At first, Hermione and Daryl had believed that some walkers were around, but then Draco, Rick, Carl, Michonne and Hershel appeared in the distance. Draco was holding a wand, until he stopped and looked around trying to see where their camp was. Hermione had quickly walked out of the wards and hugged each one of the group, before leading them towards their place and inside the wards.

It had been an emotional greeting. Andre and Scorpius rushed to their parents, crying not to leave them again. It even broke his heart seeing them like this. Beth and Hershel's greetings went down in a similar way. As the families spent time with each other, Daryl had noticed Hermione going off with Molly and Luke to one of the small rooms in the tent and holding them tightly. He had seen how saddened those two had been, when they saw Andre, Scorpius and Beth returning to their parents.

Hermione had taken the time and stayed with those two kids. It was like she instinctively knew what they needed or when they felt sad. Seeing them huddled together, Daryl knew right there and then that she would be an amazing mom. He loved her compassionate side. He loved everything about her. The soft and caring, as well as the strength and fierceness side, no matter what happened or what others thought.

Hermione was and would always be his woman.

* * *

 _It was an hour later or two, when Rick and Draco came out of the tent and sat close to him. Rick spoke about heading towards Terminus, where he believed the other survivors of their group would be heading and it was in Harry's way._

 _Daryl nodded in return and said, "You think it's safe there?"_

 _Draco frowned and Daryl knew right then that the blond man was equally suspicious about the whole Terminus place. That's what he liked about the wizard. In a way he was similar to Draco, not trusting everything and everyone, while trying to see through some people act._

 _"Not sure yet," Rick answered. "But we don't have much of a choice. The others could be there."_

 _Daryl nodded at his words. He would talk to Hermione about it and see what she has to say. Daryl trusted her the most and knew that her instincts about certain situations were always a spot on._

 _"On the way back here, we saw the group of men you've killed," Draco stated bluntly and out of the blue. Rick tensed next to him. He kept his voice down, as he continued, "Don't even try to deny it. I recognize the spell Hermione used on the guy a little further away from the others… I know this particular spell all too well… I have never seen Hermione kill a human being, not even during the war. So what happened? Why the bloody hell couldn't you stay at the house, until we came?"_

 _Daryl felt uncomfortable about sharing this information with anyone else. He knew that Teddy and Beth had heard their talk after she killed the cop and they had definitely seen them kill the other men that had been dead on the ground._

 _"Ask her," Daryl said, after exhaling heavily. He didn't want to share Hermione's darkest moments with them, even though he knew they had a right to know._

 _Before Draco could protest, Hermione walked out of the tent with Michonne in tow. Looking at Daryl and Draco, before she sat next to Daryl's free side._

 _"Hermione," Draco began, but Hermione cut him off, "I heard what you asked, Draco."_

 _She took a deep breath and pushed the few strands of hair behind her ear that came loose from her single braid._

 _"The night before we left the house, a herd of walkers attacked the place. My wards held them back. Daryl and I went to kill the walkers. At some point we separated to make quicker work of them, when I was attacked by a man and put in a trunk."_

 _Several people exclaimed in shock at her words. Daryl placed an arm around her and pulled her closer to him._

 _Daryl continued, "I took off after her and saw the car get away… thought I was too late, that I lost her…" Daryl broke off, not able to shake the fear from his voice._

 _"I used my magic, freed my self and stopped the man, who was also a police officer from Atlanta."_

 _Everyone's eyes widened at that and Rick asked, "Maybe he was impersonating one? Pretending to be a cop?"_

 _Daryl could see that this possibility really shook him deep._

 _Hermione turned towards the sheriff and said, "I used Legilimense_ _on him, a mind reading spell. It allowed me to enter his mind and see his memories, thoughts, basically everything that is him."_

 _Daryl knew that this was still difficult for her to talk about, but she continued. She explained what she had seen in the man's mind, what he did to the women he kidnaps, the trap the house was to lure people in and that there were a whole bunch of more cops in Atlanta. Some of them would try to come looking for their missing colleague and they didn't want to risk being found by them._

 _"What happened to him?" asked Michonne tightly. Her hand had tightened around her sword._

 _"He's dead," answered Daryl for Hermione, not hiding his own anger. "Got what he deserved."_

 _There was a moment of silence as they watched a walker passed them. Michonne stood up slowly, with a hand on the hilt of her sword ready to strike, but the walker passed them, without seeing or hearing anything. She took her seat back next to Draco, after the walker was out of sight._

 _"What happened to the men we came across?" Draco asked again, calmer this time. "We haven't always been friends, Hermione, but I know that this isn't you. I have never seen this side of you, not even during the war. Something must had happened to make you act like this. Please tell me, why did you kill them?"_

 _Hermione's hands balled in fists, when her hands began to shake._

 _"They appeared out of nowhere," Daryl spoke up. "I know these kind of fuckers. Always were trouble and dangerous. Worst sort of men you can come across… Hermione and I got the kids a little away from us, while we aimed our weapons against them. Then they began to talk shit… wantin' us with them and claiming…" Daryl broke off at the memory, when he felt his own rage coming back full force._

 _"Claiming what?" Draco asked and looked between the two of them. Michonne and Rick tensed at the word._

 _"Claiming me first," Hermione continued in an angry voice. "As their property to do with what they wanted. Daryl and I knew that we couldn't let them near us and not let them go free. They would have followed and attacked us, not that they had planned to let us go in the first place… and then… this disgusting, filthily creature looked at the children, where Teddy and Beth kept them away… he looked at Scorpius… claiming him… and the other men laughed… they simply laughed…. explaining that he likes little-" Hermione broke off, not able to finish it._

 _Draco lost all color in his face and jumped to his feet. Michonne followed soon. Even though she was equally angry, she and tried to calm him down, letting him know that his son was safe._

 _"It's my fault!" Draco declared in what sounded like panic. "I should have killed them. Should have never let them go. I knew that they were dangerous."_

 _"What?" Daryl asked confused._

 _Rick took over and explained how the group had found them, and while everyone was out looking for supplies, Rick had been alone in the house. He had made it out, after killing on of their man and then Rick's group took off._

 _"It's not your fault," Michonne tried again, holding Draco's face in both hand. "We couldn't have known what they were up to."_

 _Daryl didn't even want to imagine how the blond wizard must be feeling. Shit, Daryl knew that if Hermione hadn't been with him, that he wouldn't have been able to save those kids from them. Daryl stopped the thought immediately and shook his head, trying to get rid of the possible horrific outcome. It was like they had dodged not a bullet, but a freaking bomb._

 _"I told Teddy to place a protection shield around the them and that the kids should close their eyes and hold their ears. They haven't seen anything," Hermione continued after getting control on her emotions. "We made quick work of the others, but not on that disgusting creature."_

 _"Did he suffer?" Draco asked in a hate filled voice._

 _"Every last breathing moment," Hermione vowed coldly._

* * *

A/N: Did you like the new turn of event? Let me know what you think :)

Playlist:

I Was Never Going To Go To Africa by Abel Krozeniowski

Crucible by Audiomachine


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: It is great to see that more and more people begin to enjoy this story.

Thanks again to uoduck for the great help :)

Now, without further delay, I hope you enjoy the chapter :)

* * *

Chapter 8

* * *

That night at the camp, no one could get a true rest. Michonne and Draco hovered over their sons, not able to part with them, after hearing how close they had come to lose them again. Draco, Michonne and even Hershel, had hugged and thanked Hermione and Daryl for protecting their kids. Hershel had gotten the information from Beth and Teddy and later a more detailed version from Rick.

The morning after had been filled with a mix of tension and relief. Draco and Michonne hadn't let go of their kids the whole time. Who could blame them?

Rick wanted to move on and head to Terminus, since there was the possibility to find the others from their group. Hershel and Beth agreed with them, but Hermione had put her foot down, telling Rick right-away that it was a dump plan and that it would only risk the lives of all of them.

Maybe it was due to the dangerous moments, Hermione had experienced in the last days, or it had been just the way she had handled such situations in the past, but when she came up with a plan, a fool-proof, solid plan, Daryl couldn't have been prouder of her. In the end, it had saved all of their lives.

* * *

 _Daryl stood a little behind as he watched everyone get ready and saying their goodbyes, even to the newly arrived group. Hermione joined him first, after she hugged the children. Her hand gently grasped his and made Daryl turn towards her. Hermione smiled at him gently, silently telling him that everything would be ok._

 _He was nervous. The entire plan made him nervous, but he knew that it was for the best and that they had to do it this way._

 _Daryl turned back to the growing group in front of him and watched Rick standing close to Harry, while holding the little ass-kicker in his arms. He was glad that Hermione insisted on waiting for Harry, before they began to get on with the plan._

 _After she had sent her Patronus in the morning, the response had been much quicker than the last time, which meant that the wizard wasn't too far away. Upon hearing this, everyone agreed to wait for them and luckily, just a few hours later, Harry showed up with Judith, Tyreese, Sophia and Carol._

 _It was a relief to see them all again and it gave him more hope that they could make it._

 _After noon, everyone was going through with Hermione's plan, which the new rejoined group fully supported as well. They had found a small deserted hut on their way to Terminus. Harry had seen the place, when he went up to climb the tree to check out the area and that's how they had found the hut as well._

 _It was a good hiding spot for the kids, Hershel and Tyreese, until everyone else swept around Terminus to see with what they are dealing with. Carl and Teddy weren't happy about it, but Harry and Rick quickly made it clear that it was important for them to stay here. Hermione and Draco had set up the tent inside the hut, before those two together with Harry began to set up some strong wards around the area, until it became invisible to the eye. Hermione marked a tree with a symbol, tabbed it with her wand and explained to the others, that it would help her to find them later on._

 _"All right," Harry spoke up, sported a similar beard as Rick. "Everyone knows what to do. If we see that the place is safe, Hermione, Draco and I will make an appearance at the front gate and if not, we will give you the signal and will get you out of there."_

 _Everyone agreed and began to walk towards Terminus. As soon as it was in their sight, they stopped and Hermione quickly threw herself into Daryl's arms and hugged him tightly, which he returned immediately._

 _"Be careful, y'hear," Daryl said gruffly close to her ear. He didn't like getting her out of his sight, but knew that it was the only way to make sure with whom they were dealing with._

 _"I will," she quickly agreed and pulled away to look him in the eyes. He could see her own worry reflecting his. "Stay safe," she added before she leaned closer and kissed him. Daryl tried to savor the moment with her, as he moved his lips along hers, while trying to push the growing fear for her away._

 _All too soon, the kiss ended and she left with Harry and Draco. He watched as the three became invisible and disappeared with a telltale sound of apparation, leaving him behind with Rick, Michonne and Carol._

 _"Let's go," Rick took over and moved them through the woods that led to the backside of Terminus. By now, Hermione, Harry and Draco must have been at the roof one of Terminus's building, where they would sweep through the whole facility. After all the things they had gone through since the attack on the prison, they wouldn't take the chance to risk their safety again. Especially, not since they had so many people, who relied on them and needed their protection. Their group had become to Daryl something he never had, a family and he would make damn sure that they're all protected._

 _Rick and Daryl jumped over the small wall and quickly entered the building with their raised weapons. Soon enough, they heard a woman talking over a radio, instructing on how to find Terminus and promising that all was safe, could give shelter and that they had food. No one noticed their entering and Daryl couldn't hide the surprise for their lack of security._

 _Rick moved forward and greeted them and a man quickly took over, looking in his late twenties. He began asking if they planned to rob them and yet, he was still too relaxed about the whole situation. Something wasn't right. He could feel it in his bones. Not one of them wore weapons, or was worried about their own safety. Instead they kept on speaking over some radio, painting on some self-made signs and smiled as if it was just a freaking normal day._

 _Daryl watched Rick talking to them and saying, "We wanted to see you before you saw us."_

 _"Makes sense," said the same guy, before he walked closer and continued. "Usually we do this where the tracks meet." He clears his throat and announces, "Welcome to Terminus. I'm Gareth."_

 _No one said anything, as Gareth looked at each one of them._

 _"Looks like you've been on the road for a good bit," Gareth stated._

 _"We have," admitted Rick and added by pointing to himself then the others, "Rick. That's Carol, Daryl, Michonne."_

 _Gareth waved and said after a moment, "You're nervous. I get it. We were all the same way. We came here for sanctuary… That what you're here for?"_

 _"Yes," answered Rick simply._

 _Daryl still didn't know what to think of this group. He watched the others in the room closely. They looked clean, well fed and acted all normal. These people wanted their group to trust them, that's for sure._

 _Gareth called upon a guy called Alex, while Gareth kept talking about some welcoming greeting in the front and other useless things, before he explains that Alex would be their personal tour guide for them and answer the questions they had. Daryl doubted that they would truly give them the answer they were looking for._

 _"Uh, but first," Gareth said while Alex kept smiling at them. "We need to see everyone's weapons. If you could just lay them down in front of you."_

 _Daryl's hands instinctively tightened on his crossbow and he could see from the corner of his eyes that Michonne did the same. Rick looked back at him and the others and a moment later, he moved first and put his gun on the ground. Everyone else in their group followed shortly after._

 _"I'm sure you understand," Gareth said._

 _Rick just stated that he did, before he began to frisk him. Alex moved to Daryl first and began to sweep him for any other guns, while he held his hands up. He tried to make some small talk, but Daryl only stared at him and he could see he unnerved the guy. Daryl's thoughts drifted to Hermione and he hoped all was going good. He wondered how long it would take until they showed up._

 _Gareth began to talk again, saying that they aren't stupid or idiots, but Daryl wasn't so sure about that._

 _"And you shouldn't be stupid enough to try anything stupid," Gareth said and smiled at everyone and Daryl could see that Carol gave one of her You-Can-Trust-Me smiles back at him, while he added, "As long as everyone's clear on that, we shouldn't have any problems. Just solutions. Okay."_

 _Alex moved forward to give them their weapons back, but Daryl quickly grabbed his own, before the man could touch it. He didn't like it when anyone, beside himself touched his weapon. Especially, not after Hermione had modified it with a spell a few months ago, back at the prison that made it possible to shoot off arrows attached to the crossbow, without having to reload them._

 _Alex smiled at Rick, as if the world had never been turned to shit and said, "Follow me."_

 _Rick was right behind him, with Carol right at his back, Michonne and then himself. Daryl looked around and paid more attention to his surroundings and noted that the place looked more like a warehouse or an old fabric._

 _Daryl glanced at Alex and asked, "So, how long's this place been here?"_

 _"Since almost the start," Alex answered as he led them through the area and then babbled on about how they had come to be here. They walked towards the backyard, where a woman was making a BBQ, with several people sitting on some tables that had freaking sunshades to it. Daryl immediately noted that the grilled meat smelled off and he couldn't seem to place the scent to any animal._

 _A woman greeted them and began to talk again, along with Alex. Afterwards they offered a huge piece of meat to them on a plate and before another plate could be given to him, Rick crossed the small distance, grabbed Alex, turned him around and put him into a headlock, after he fished something from his pant pocket. It was a pocket watch he had seen a few before. It was Glenn's pocket watch._

 _By then, Daryl, Carol and Michonne raised their weapons at the group. Rick held a gun at the man and asked, "Where the hell did you get this watch?"_

 _People around the area stood up and pulled out their own weapons. Looking around he noticed, Glenn's backpack and another guy wearing a riot gear and a girl wearing a poncho._

 _But before the guy could answer Rick, a sudden explosion came from the backside of Terminus, making some of the people take cover or sent them screaming. Daryl's heart almost leaped from his chest, before he took cover with Carol, Rick and Michonne._

 _Harry suddenly apparated a little further from them and even from the distance everyone could see that the wizard was seething with rage. It shocked Daryl and the others from their group, to see Harry display his magic so openly._

 _"Kill them. None of these people leave this place alive. Don't hesitate," Harry hissed furiously, as he sent a series of deadly spells at the people and all hell broke loose. Daryl shot his arrows at anyone was close by as did the others. Carol quickly killed the woman behind the grill, while Michonne backed her up. Harry unleashed his own powers, creating shields to protect them before he sent spells that took the others down. Rick killed the guy who he was holding and took Glenn's pocket watch._

 _When no one was standing, Harry led them in the direction they had come from. A sniper on the roof shoot at them, hitting the ground instead of them and Harry quickly raised his wand and blasted him off, which was followed by a loud scream. They continued to run, leaving the courtyard. That's when Daryl noted the flash lights coming from the roof top, before a few more people screamed and went flying from the building, landing with a sickening snap and splash of blood on the ground._

 _Harry led them to another area, when a second explosion occurred, setting up flames in the area._

 _"Who are they?" Rick asked Harry. "Did you find the others?"_

 _Harry sent another spell to a man, who tried to kill them, before he answered, "They are cannibals. Luring people here, killing and eating them. We found their butcher place… body parts hanging from meat hooks… From bloody meat hooks! We found a room filled with the belongs of their victims like trophies…. There were hundreds of them… Even toys."_

 _Daryl couldn't remember the last time he had seen the wizard this angry and he couldn't blame him. The thought of what Harry had just told him made him sick. Now everything made sense around this place. The radio broadcasting, the friendly attitude, hell, even the smell of the meat made sense._

 _Daryl shook his head and pushed those thoughts away. He looked back at Harry and asked urgently, "Where's Hermione?"_

 _"And Draco?" Michonne added worriedly._

 _Harry halted, pushed them against the wall, and sent a silent spell at a direction in front of them. Five lights came up, which meant that there were at least five people behind that door. With a nod to their group, Harry swiftly opened the door with a flick of his wand and everyone began to shoot. Harry swiftly slashed his wand in the air and an orange, fire like light came out of his wand, blasting their enemies away from them, killing many of them instantly within moments and anyone who was still somehow alive was quickly taken down. Without a second glance at the lying dead bodies on the ground, Harry led them further away from the area._

 _"Draco is on the roof," Harry finally answered. "Making sure that there aren't any surprises waiting for us. Hermione is securing the people… that were kept in the containers, like animals. She's looking for Glenn and the others, after we found Maggie's backpack among the trophies. Right now, we need to make sure that none of these crazy bastards get away with it. Not one of them will leave this place alive," Harry vowed fiercely._

 _Everyone nodded at Harry's word and followed him. He and Rick were leading them around Terminus, killing anyone in their way. They rounded yet another corner, when they came across Gareth and his group of armed people that clearly outnumbered and surrounded by them_

 _Harry quickly raised his shield again, protecting them from a blaze of gunfire, before he made some complicated hand motion with his free hand and his wand and sent the shield hurling back at the Gareth's group. The shield collided with them and blasted them a few feet away. It gave them all enough time to kill them on the ground, before they had a chance to shoot at them again._

 _Daryl noticed that walkers were on the grounds as well, probably lured by the loud noises from the fight and spells. They were coming from the damaged fences and unprotected gates. But no one really paid much attention to them. Either swiftly killing them on their way, or rushing passed them._

 _Just as they took off in another direction, they stumbled upon a group of five people. Everyone raised their weapons but they instantly noted the scared looks and that they were without any weapons. A man held up his hands and said, "Please, don't shoot! A woman freed us, she said we should tell you, 'A stag, a ferret and an otter.' You would know what it meant."_

 _Harry lowered his wand, upon hearing the three symbols of each of their Patronuses. Daryl noted the confused looks on the small groups face upon seeing the wand in Harry's hand. They had probably not seen the display of magic from the fight yet. Harry, Michonne and Carol quickly helped them through the damaged fences, told them to take the weapons from the dead people and run. They thanked them rapidly and disappeared into the woods._

 _Another explosion rocked the place and Daryl's worry for Hermione grew tenfold. He could see the same worry on the others faces and Harry took the lead and guided them through the place. The wizard sent a quick spell, which went like a wave through the area they hadn't covered yet, which came out empty. They did the same thing several times; Harry casting the spell to spot any living human, securing the area, until they heard gunfire coming from a closer distance. They took off running, and as soon as they rounded the corner, Daryl felt his heart stop in his chest at the sight._

 _Hermione stood before a group of people, holding her wand up high and creating a dome like shield around them, protecting them from the hail of bullets that were raining down on them. Even from the distance, Daryl could see that she was quickly loosing strength, as she fell on one knee, while trying to hold up her arm. Daryl barely registered that Hermione was protecting Maggie, Glenn, Sasha, Bob and four other people, who hadn't any weapons on them._

 _Daryl, Harry and the others from their group, swiftly raised their weapons at the attackers and killed them as fast as possible, until all of them lay dead on the ground. As soon as it was safe, Hermione collapsed on the ground to her side, holding herself upright with her hands. Daryl took off after her, without a word to the others._

 _As soon as he reached her he pulled her into his arms and crushed her against his chest. Just then, Daryl noticed that his whole body was shaking from the fear and adrenaline. "Are y'okay? Were y'hurt?" he asked shakily._

 _Hermione wrapped his arms around Daryl and nodded into his chest, "I'm all right. We need to go."_

 _Daryl looked back at her face and kissed her quickly, before he helped her up. Harry followed suit and pulled Hermione into a hug, before he said, "We need to finish this and get Draco. Can you still fight?"_

 _"Yes, I'm fine. I hadn't the time to give them the weapons in my handbag before they attacked us," Hermione explained and pulled out her beaded handbag, which Harry took._

 _"There was another group. I didn't have the time to give them weapons, did they-"_

 _"They're good. Got some weapons before they left," Michonne explained quickly._

 _Harry quickly pulled out the weapons from Hermione's beaded handbag and gave it to the others. Ignoring the confused looks from the new people. Maggie and Glenn quickly explained to everyone that the other new four people helped and saved them, while they were on the road. Assuring them that they were friends and good people. Daryl trusted Glenn's and Maggie's judgment and was all right with it, as long as they don't pull some shit on them. He vaguely heard Carol's promise of explaining everything to them later. He immediately noted the sweet persona she pulled up for the newcomers and saw how their tense shoulders began to relax at Carol's display, even if they still looked wary._

 _"Are there anymore containers to check?" Harry asked, getting the attention of everyone._

 _"Block D is the last one. I don't think there are more imprisoned," Hermione answered._

 _Harry nodded and looked around, "Let's get you with the others out of here. I'm going to get Draco afterwards."_

 _"I'm coming with you," Rick said, followed by Michonne's, "Me too."_

 _The group took off and left through a damaged fence, killing walkers who came close to them. Daryl stayed close to Hermione, not wanting her out of his sight. She turned to Harry, before she could leave and said, "Make it quick, Harry. We'll meet you from where we had apparated."_

 _Harry nodded and took off with the other two._

 _Together with Hermione and Carol, Daryl lead them through the forest and a little further away from the hut._

 _"We will stop shortly, before we reach the place. We need to know if they are a risk for us or not," Hermione spoke quietly, explaining to Daryl and Carol the reason why she wanted them not to get to the hut immediately. Both of them nodded at her words and walked swiftly through the woods, until they reached the place. Hermione quickly placed some wards around them, explaining that it would warn them from any danger and keep their sounds to a minimum._

 _As soon as Hermione finished the wards, the red haired guy, who calls himself Sergeant Ford took a few steps closer to Hermione and asked rather harshly, "I want to know what the hell you just did back there and what the fuck you and your friend are?"_

 _"Hey!" Daryl shouted angrily, getting the man's attention and stood protectively in front of Hermione. "Back the hell off!"_

 _"We will tell you when the others come back," spoke Carol calmly, but Ford wouldn't have it._

 _"I won't risk my mission because of this freak show. I need to know what's going on."_

 _"I said, back the hell off, man!" Daryl growled furiously._

 _"Mission?" Carol asked, trying to defuse the tension._

 _"Eugene here has the cure to stop this disease and the walkers. Sergeant Ford and Rosita want to get him to DC, where he can create the vaccine," explained Maggie getting Ford's attention, who turned around and faced her._

 _"I didn't give you permission to tell them," Ford said angrily and this time Glenn glared at the red head, and said, "They just saved our lives! Do you really think they would harm us after everything they did."_

 _This was enough to calm Ford down a little. He narrowed his eyes at Hermione, who moved to stand next to Daryl and said, "I still want to know what and how the fuck you did things back there."_

 _"You will have to wait for the others, before I explain anything to you," stated Hermione sternly, while glaring at the man. Daryl couldn't help the swell of pride surgeon through him._

 _Afterwards, Hermione walked towards Maggie and both women hugged each other tightly, before they moved to the other member of their group, as well as meeting the two new women, while Daryl kept a close eye on her and this sergeant guy._

 _They didn't have to wait long, before they heard a familiar pop sound in the close distant. Several people, especially the new ones, quickly raised their weapons and aimed it in the direction, until they saw Harry, Rick, Michonne and Draco coming from the woods._

 _Before they could greet each other, Ford began to get pissy again, wanting to know what's going on. Harry, who was still fueled by his own rage, came toe-to-toe with the man and glared at him, which Ford returned. Daryl had to admin that the wizard had balls. Rick stood close, backing Harry up, with a hand on his gun._

 _"I'd suggest you keep that attitude down, sergeant," Rick spoke tightly._

 _"Abraham, calm down," Rosita spoke gently next to Ford and grabbed his arm. "I know the mission is important, but they just did save our lives. Maybe they can help us get to Washington?"_

 _Harry looked confused and asked her what she meant, but Ford cut him off, telling him again that he wanted to know what they were._

 _"Then we should get going," Rick stated and gently pushed Harry away and lead him back to the where the hut would be._

 _Even though, Ford was clearly a dickhead, Rick still offered Ford's group to stay with them, however long they wanted, as long as they didn't pose a threat to them. Daryl knew that the only reason Rick allowed Ford, Eugene, Rosita and Tara, who had been quiet most of the time, to stay, because of Glenn, Maggie, Sasha and Bob, who trusted them. They quickly walked the last distance to where their group was, lead by Hermione, Draco and Harry. A few walkers came across them, which they made quick work of them._

 _A few minutes later, Hermione halted before a tree, which she had previously marked and raised her wand in a certain direction, followed by Harry and Draco. Ford asked with an irritated voice why they had stopped, but no one paid him attention at this point. Soon enough, the small hut became visible._

 _"Holly shit!" exclaimed Ford in shock._

 _The door burst open from the hut and Teddy, Carl, Beth came rushing out, hugging their remaining family members. Beth was nearly hysterical, when she saw her sister, believing that she had died. Up until now, Maggie hadn't known that Beth was still alive and not only her father. Seeing him, standing at the door of the hut, Maggie rushed towards him and hugged him tightly. Sasha ran inside the hut after Harry told him that Tyreese was probably back in the hut with the kids._

 _Daryl pulled Hermione close to him, as he watched the reunion of their family. Today was a good day, despite of what they had gone through._

 _"Either I'm going fucking crazy, smoked some shit without knowing or I'm finally cracking," Ford exclaimed in a stunt voice. "Could someone explain to me what the fucking hell is going on here?"_

 _Hermione sighed in his arms and glanced up at Daryl, before she turned, looked back at Ford and his group and began to explain the basics about existence of magic to them. Soon enough, a few others joined them, including Harry, Draco and Teddy and answered some of the questions as much as they could. Seeing the open mouthed and shocked face of Ford and his group, had been almost worth the hassle. It was definitely something he wouldn't forget so easily._

 _Daryl pulled Hermione closer into his body and leaned closer to place a kiss on her cheek. He ignored the snickers and eyes on him. He was just relieved that Hermione was all right, that they had finally found the others from their group and all of them had made it out unscathed from that hell hole they had just escaped._

* * *

A/N: That's how you kick the crazy Terminus people in the ass! LOL, sorry. So, what did you think of the chapter and turn of events?

There are only 2 more chapters left and I was thinking of writing a bonus chapter if you like. Would you like one?

Also, here is my Playlist for this chapter:

Rubicon by Audiomachine

Nemesis by Audiomachine


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: Thank you so much for all the great reviews and everyone else that put the story on their favorite and follow list. I'm happy that you all enjoy this story. :)

I also want to thank uoduck for her help in editing this story. :)

So, I hope you enjoy this chapter. There is only one more to go before it's finished and seeing that so many people want a bonus chapter, I'm going figure something out :)

* * *

Chapter 9

* * *

That day, Harry, Draco and Michonne had set the whole place on fire and killed anyone they had found from the Terminus' group. As they had swept the whole place, the three of them took all the weapons they had found. It had helped their group in the following days and weeks.

Everyone had been still riled up from the whole Terminus place and relieved that they had found each other. It had been a miracle that they had found Glenn, Maggie and the others in time. Even today, thinking back, it was sometimes hard to believe all the things they had been through and still survived. He knew that most of their luck was based on the two wizards and Hermione. Their input had saved and protected their asses more than once.

Even after Terminus, when several people had wanted to move on and put as much distance from Terminus as possible, Harry and Hermione had convinced the large group that they should stay for the night, at the hut. It had given them time to rest and made them think clearly on what to do next. With the added wards around the place, it had been safe enough for the whole group to remain protected, while they rested.

During that night, Hermione, Draco, Harry and several others from their group, had answered the newcomers questions. Ford had kept asked for hours about all things magic. The red head had almost driven the wizards crazy, but not his Hermione. His woman stayed cool and collected, while she explained everything to him he wanted to know, even when he asked the same question five times in a different way.

That was, until Draco had enough of Ford and asked directly Eugene about the cure he supposedly had found. Ford had become instantly protective of the man and kept saying that it was top secret and classified information. But after Draco got more back-up, especially from several others and Hermione, who had pointed out that they couldn't re-create the cure in the middle of nowhere and that they were just curious, Eugene had no choice but to talk.

Hermione and Draco had instantly known that Eugene was talking bullshit and called him on it. They fired up some complicated topic related questions at Eugene that no one beside those three were able to understand. Even though, most of them hadn't been able to follow the conversation, they soon figured out that something wasn't adding up. Ford had tried to interfere, after Hermione had pulled out her wand and placed it under Eugene's chin and threatened to curse him if he didn't tell the truth, but Rosita held the sergeant back.

To everyone's surprise, Eugene had come clear and confessed his lies. He never had a cure nor did he know what could have caused this disease in the first place. He had only wanted to be saved and protected. Shit hit the fan that night. Ford was pissed and had tried to attack Eugene, but Harry, Rick and Glenn held him back. It took them hours to calm the man down, which had helped with the bottle of Firewhisky Hermione had kept in her beaded handbag.

Eugene had been terrified of the reactions of Ford and the others. It was like, he just realized what a mess he had created and kept apologizing to everyone about what he had done. Tara, the fourth member of the group that had joined them, had stuck to Eugene's side. They had been close friends ever since. It had taken a few days for everyone to warm up to Eugene and forgive him for what he had done.

After the revelation, Ford, Rosita, Tara, and Eugene had decided to stay together with the group. It was much safer and easier to protect everyone and each other, mostly and above all the kids.

A few days after Terminus, they had stumbled upon a priest, who had been surrounded by a few walkers. They had helped him and brought him back to his church. By then, Hermione, Harry and Draco didn't hide their magic anymore. Not when they all needed to survive.

The priest had freaked out and couldn't handle the knowledge of magic, declaring it as 'the work of evil'. He had been also completely in the funk about his own guilt for not helping the people to save his own ass. In the end, Draco wanted his mind to be erased and everyone had agreed with him. They couldn't take the risk of having him part their group.

Therefore, they had gone on a supply run and decided to stay for the night before taking off again. With Harry's and Hermione's help, they had been able to get the supplies in the last place the priest hadn't been able to raid on his own. The priest had freaked out once he saw how Draco had levitated the food boxes with a wave of his wand, which had pissed off everyone from their group. It was Ford though, who had gone up to the man's face, who had threatened him, if he didn't shut up.

This had been proof enough for those who had still felt doubt about leaving the priest behind and not having him become a part of their group.

The next morning, Hermione had performed the spell, removed all knowledge of them and implanted the memory of him having gotten the supplies, which explained the stack of food he had with him. She had also made the priest believe that he had done the repairs around the building, which had been the work of Harry and Draco. The two wizards had also added some protection runes around the church, which made the building hold up longer.

The mood had been somber after leaving the church and going back on the road. No one was really happy about it, but he had posed a threat to their people, which they couldn't take.

Their priority had been and always would be to keep their group protected.

The road had been hard on them. Food had become scarce and the supply runs had come out mostly empty. Daryl had gone out hunting, in order to find them food and even ingredients whenever he could. Most of the time, he had taken Harry or Hermione with him, for safety reasons, not that he had needed it.

The only thing they hadn't run low was getting clean water or a safe shelter at night. Harry, Hermione, Draco and Teddy had used their abilities constantly and he didn't know how they could have survived without their help.

The group was able to stay alive and since they had crossed paths with the priest, they hadn't seen a living soul. That is, until they stumbled upon something that had changed their lives forever.

* * *

 _It was another long day, in where the group kept going, without a certain direction. The weather was still cold, even when the days became longer and gave them more time to walk. The kids had it the hardest. Luke, Molly, Scorpius and Andre didn't like the long days of traveling. While Scorpius and Andre were carried by their parents, Luke and Molly tried to keep up with the others, but at some point, they simply didn't have the strength to walk for hours and in the end, were picked up and carried by the adults._

 _Teddy was always found next to Beth, while Carl stuck to Sophia. Everyone could see that these teenagers had feelings for each other and it was probably just a matter of time before things become official._

 _"I don't think I can keep watching those beards any longer," Hermione commented next to Daryl and made him look at Hermione, who walked next to him. He chuckled in return, after seeing the irritation written all over her face._

 _If there was one thing Daryl had learned in the past weeks had been Hermione's deep dislike for beards. She kept trying to convince Rick and Harry to shave off their facial hairs, telling them that the matching styles was just too cheesy and that they looked like cavemen barbarians. Everyone had been quite amused by Hermione's show of irritation, especially the creative ways she kept finding in order to insult them without being crass. Oddly enough, it lifted the mood around the group._

 _Daryl wasn't sure what exactly made Rick and Harry become stubborn in keeping their beards. Maybe it was to rile Hermione up or when, she asked them why they could be like Draco and Daryl, by having just a little facial hair, or they simply liked seeing Hermione this way. Even Teddy had teased Hermione at some point, by morphing and getting facial hair, until Hermione glared at him and warned him to remove it or face her wrath. The teenager quickly did what he was told and never tried it again. He was smart after all._

 _The odd thing was, Hermione didn't mind it when Hershel or Tyreese wore their beards. She simply explained that it suited them and if not, she would have found a way to remove it._

 _Good thing that Daryl wasn't a fan of beards either._

 _"It must feel uncomfortable whenever they eat something or even kiss. Don't you think, Daryl?" Hermione asked looking at him curiously. "Wouldn't it itch horribly to kiss someone who has the same amount of facial hair as your partner?" she asked in a voice that made sure that several people around them were able to hear it._

 _Daryl only smiled at his witch, while several others laughed at the image she created. Harry, who had apparently heard it as well, turned around and gave her a flat glare, to which she only blinked and said, "What? I'm curious, Harry. I still don't understand why you still hang on to that… thing." Her lips turned down in disgust._

 _"Maybe you should try it, Mione," Harry offered simply. "I can fix you with a beard then you can make out with Daryl and see how you like it."_

 _Daryl narrowed his eyes at the wizard and put an arm around Hermione. "Ain't digging the hairy face, Harry. So, stuff it."_

 _More people laughed at the display, especially, when Draco mock caught the word, "Hairy-Harry," which made Hermione smile brightly at the blond wizard. Daryl knew that Harry and Rick wouldn't hold onto their 'manly-facial-parts' as Hermione once described them, for much longer._

 _They kept bantering back and forth, when suddenly Harry, Hermione, Draco and even Teddy froze in place and faced the same direction, right into the woods. Everyone became instantly alert._

 _"What's wrong, Hermione?" Daryl asked as he raised his crossbow, but he couldn't see anything. There wasn't even a walker around._

 _"I-I feel something," she said and looked closely at the direction._

 _"Something is there," Harry talked next and held his wand as he walked closer, followed by Hermione, Draco and even Teddy. Daryl, Rick and Michonne followed suit, but even up close they didn't see anything,_

 _Draco closed his eyes and touched a tree. "I think I found it," he breathed out in disbelief as he looked closer at the tree. Hermione, Harry and Teddy followed suit._

 _"What is it?" asked Michonne, who stood the closest to Draco._

 _"I-I never thought I would see something like this ever again," he said, sounding surprised and excited at the same time. "When I was a child I went with my mother and father to France and visited one of the oldest magical village in the country. It was in the middle of the forest and the way to enter the place was through this old oak tree. It's like the entranceway to Diagon Alley."_

 _Hermione's, Harry's and Teddy's eyes widened with hope and disbelief at his words. Everyone else though looked confused. Daryl knew a few things about magical villages from what Hermione had told him, but didn't get what they were talking about._

 _"You're saying that, when we find a way to open the entranceway, there will be a whole village behind it? A warded village, from what we can see here?" Harry asked sounding surprised at his own words, which made the people around them look that way as well._

 _"Well, depending on in what state we will find the place, but yes, I think it is our best shot," Draco said as he looked closer at the tree. "We just need to find a way to enter it."_

 _"All right, wait," Hermione cut in. "We can't just go in there. We don't even know what's awaits us in that village or whatever there is. It could be filled with walkers or dangerous wizards. If there is a group of them out there, we will be vulnerable and I don't think we three would be enough, that is not including Teddy, couldn't protect our group, while fighting against them. We need to take precautions, protect our group first, before we three go in there alone, under Invisibility Charm on us to assess the situation."_

 _"Hermione is right," Harry agreed quickly and turned towards a protesting Teddy._

 _"I won't let you go in there alone, Hermione," Daryl stated angrily. The thought of Hermione being alone there sent his pulse racing. Looking at the others, he could see that he wasn't the only one feeling that way._

 _"I don't like the idea either, but it's the only way. If there are dangerous wizards or witches, Harry, Draco and I will be able to handle them. We know the spells, curses and how to deal with them," Hermione said, before she took a deep breath and added in a calmer voice, "We will be careful, I promise you that."_

 _"Taking some of you with us, would make our stand to fight, much more difficult," Draco added. "They could see you as our weak point and we would be more focused in covering you than fighting them. But when it's only the three of us, we can fight better… without a distraction."_

 _Daryl knew they were right. He had seen first hand, what their spells could do. With a heavy heart, Daryl pulled her into his arms and held her tightly._

 _"Just… come back to me," he whispered in the crook of her neck. He ignored the others and just needed the moment with his woman. He trusted her and believed in her strength. Hell, she was the smartest and one of the bravest people he had ever met. He trusted her like no other, but the part that loved her made it hard to let her go, alone in there, without him._

 _After almost an hour of arguing with the others, Harry, Draco and Hermione could convinced everyone to stay put, under the wards they created over them. Daryl stood next to Rick and Michonne, right behind the protection ward and watched Hermione with the two wizards walk towards the tree. The three began to raise the wands at themselves and soon enough they became invisible. They didn't see anything else from there on. Daryl exhaled sharply, when Hermione was gone. He didn't know when, how or if they had entered the village._

 _"They got in," Teddy said, who suddenly stood between him and Rick. The teenager glanced at them, with wide eyes, looking pale and with pale blue hair, and added, "The oak tree, it opened itself, like a gate. I guess you guys didn't see it?"_

 _"No," Rick said in a tight voice._

 _No one knew what to say. They kept their weapons in their hands, ready to fight if it came to it. Daryl knew, the tension would stay, until they returned. His mind was racing with all sorts of possibilities that Hermione, Harry and Draco could be facing right now and he couldn't help them._

 _"They will come back," Teddy announced determinately. "Uncle Harry is one of the best fighters ever, Uncle Draco can throw some mean hexes and curses, and Aunt Mione is too smart for anyone. They don't stand a chance against them."_

 _Daryl took a deep breath and simply nodded at the teenager words. He was right. Those three were strong and unstoppable._

 _"Did they ever tell you about the war and how they defeated the most evil wizard of all time? How Draco had opposed his parents?"_

 _Daryl nodded and said, "Hermione explained a bit. Didn't go too deep into it."_

 _"Harry doesn't like to talk about it," Rick added._

 _Michonne spoke up next to him, "I just know a few facts and how he had escaped with Harry, Hermione, an elf and some ginger boy he calls 'Weasel' from his parents, when they had captured them and held them at Draco's manor. The elf had shown up, and Draco had made a decision and left his parents that day. Chose the other side of the war."_

 _"That's right. Uncle Draco went along with them. Uncle Harry didn't trust Uncle Draco at first. Ron Weasley, that's the real name of the ginger boy, well, Uncle Harry and Aunt Mione didn't trust him anymore, not after leaving them in the middle of their hunting for those soul pieces… They told you what they were, right?"_

 _"Yeah," Daryl added, just as the others confirmed. Daryl didn't know much about the Weasley's only that this boy, Ron, had been once a friend of them, when she had shown him the old school pictures._

 _"Good, okay. So, they still had to find the others two missing soul pieces and Uncle Draco wanted to help them, but since they didn't trust him, Aunt Mione… well, after she got well… she made Uncle Draco drink several times from the Veritaserum… you know, to tell them the truth of his intentions." Teddy smiled at the memory, before he continued, "Apparently, they had given Uncle Draco too much, and he began to become really drunk. Confessing all sorts of truths, embracing things and even some sad stuff, from what Uncle Harry told me._

 _"Ron, well, he used the opportunity and asked really mean stuff to Uncle Draco. Uncle Harry and Aunt Mione interfered and had a huge fight with him. From what I heard, Ron had been always jealous of Uncle Harry and Aunt Mione. He was the Boy-Who-Lived and Aunt Mione was the brightest witches of her age and Ron… Aunt Mione said, he felt stuck in their shadow by his brothers and his youngest and only sister, believing that he wasn't worthy enough or not rich enough. He had a lot of issues. He hated Uncle Draco before he had even met him._

 _"Of course, Uncle Draco wasn't really nice to them during their school years. I asked him once about it and he explained that he grew up very isolated and had been molded by his parents to be the perfect pureblood kid. His parents are, what you would describe as narrow-minded and radical rich people. His father was a close friend of the most evil wizard and he wanted Uncle Draco to be part of it. He actually forced him to take the Dark Mark when he was 16 I think."_

 _Daryl remembered the faint tattoo lining on Draco's left forearm and now that Teddy pointed it out, he realized that the wizard tried to cover that part of himself up, whenever he could._

 _"Well, back to the story. Ron became then angry and asked Harry to choose between him and Draco. Up until then, it was the first time that Uncle Draco made some sort of peace with Uncle Harry and Aunt Mione. They were like school enemies the whole time, can you believe that? Anyway, Aunt Mione got really angry, from what Uncle Harry said, and began to list all the mistakes Ron did, from his trust issues, jealousy and for leaving them when he was needed the most. Aunt Mione defended Uncle Draco, by pointing out all the brave things Draco had done in the past hour or so. Aunt Mione stated that Uncle Draco should stay and Ron left them shortly after. It was the end of their friendship, especially when he called Aunt Mione names and accused her of having an affair with Uncle Draco, which never happened." Teddy snorted at the thought. Even though Daryl knew Hermione was his woman, his fiancé, the though tof her with the wizard, hell with anyone else sent a rush of jealousy through him, which he pushed immediately away, knowing full well that it was not needed._

 _"As if they would ever hook up. When I was younger and before… all this happened, Aunt Mione would keep hexing Uncle Draco whenever he pissed her off. Even when he was married or got a divorce, feeling sorry for himself." Teddy chuckled at the memory. "Uncle Harry told me, that Uncle Draco became depressed when his ex-wife filed for divorce and threatened to take Scorpius, who wasn't even a year old, as well as all his money, because she came from a prominent family. Even when he helped with the war and switched sides, Uncle Draco was still not accepted in the wizarding world, because of his family. So, Aunt Mione, went to his place, curses him up and down, telling him to get it together and fight for his child and not mob around like pale haired sloth. Apparently, Aunt Mione had lectured him for a few hours, until she calmed down, made tea and came up with a plan to get full custody of Scorpius, which they got in the end."_

 _A few people chuckled and laughed at the information. Daryl could imagine Hermione doing things like that to someone, who really annoyed her._

 _"Anyway, I keep getting distracted. So, Ron left, thinking only for himself and not the consequences Uncle Draco's choice would have for him. You see, going around your parents, especially, in the time of war, meant a death sentence and soon enough, Uncle Draco became the third on the most wanted list, right after Uncle Harry as number 1, and Aunt Mione as number 2. Most of the Death Eaters were his own family members, uncles, aunts, cousins and friends. His life turned upside down with his decision and Aunt Mione knew the sacrifice he had made and what it would mean to him. It took some time, to warm up to each other, but when they broke into a magical bank and stole another soul piece, they began to trust each other."_

 _"For real? Hermione broke into a bank with those two?" Daryl asked surprised. He couldn't imagine Hermione doing such a thing._

 _Teddy laughed in surprise, "She didn't tell you?"_

 _"No. Just told me that they hunted those pieces. Didn't ask where," Daryl confessed and Michonne chuckled next to him, Rick only smirked knowingly._

 _"It was actually Aunt Mione's idea, to break into the bank, which was the most secure place in the wizarding world. No one had ever succeeded in breaking into Gringotts Bank, well that is until Aunt Mione made it possible."_

 _Daryl was completely taken by surprise. He couldn't believe that Hermione never told him about this._

 _"Guess your fiancé has a wild side," Michonne sniggered next to him._

 _"Don'cha know it," Daryl confirmed with a little smirk, as he shook his head in disbelief. His witch still found a way to surprise him._

 _"So, they broke into the bank, stole the soul piece, but got almost captured, when the goblins, who run the banks, found out about the break in. A dragon was guarding those high priority vaults. It was shackled to the ground and injured from what Aunt Mione told me."_

 _Daryl quickly figured out where this was going and his eyes widened even more in disbelief, "She didn't?!"_

 _Teddy smirked, "I have the way coolest aunt in history, I tell you. She told Harry and Draco that they should escape with the dragon, whom she freed and took off, and Aunt Mione hates flying."_

 _"She's badass, all right," he declared proudly, smiling at his little witch's daring side, which made the others close to them laughed at his statement._

 _"But that's nothing beside what they had done, when those three snuck back into Hogwarts, where the final battle took place. It got them written down in the freaking history books! Uncle Harry has even his own biography and he was only 18! Totally crazy. They didn't write everything down, but when I was at Hogwarts, well you know, before all this happened, the ghosts and portraits and even some teachers explained the things those three did. They fought against monsters, dementors, giants, freaking werewolfs and Death Eaters. Death Eaters are like… you can compare them with super skilled terrorists, they fight to kill."_

 _"Harry told me that he had created a secret fight club in school," Rick added, as he shook his head and continued, "Still can't believe that they would attack a school with children."_

 _"Voldemort, the leader of them, wasn't really sane, from what I've been told and yes, Uncle Harry trained them together with Aunt Mione. It was actually her idea to create such a club. They won the war, even though several people from the good side died…" Teddy trailed off and looked down at his shoes for a moment, as if just realizing that his own parents had lost their lives that day. Daryl had known about that, from what Hermione had told him. Rick placed a hand on his shoulder, not saying anything._

 _"They're strong," Daryl spoke. "Just as you said, they'll make it."_

 _Teddy nodded and looked up, with a small smile, "Yes, they will."_

 _The four of them kept watching the woods and oak tree for any signs of them, while Teddy told them more stories of Harry, Draco and Hermione. It kept their minds occupied, while they waited for their return._

 _It was probably two hours later, when the three suddenly appeared, covered in dirt, blood and other stuff. Daryl quickly run past the wards and towards Hermione, pulled her into his arms._

 _"You ok? Is that your blood? What happened?" Daryl asked as he pulled a little away to look closely at her._

 _Hermione just smiled up at him and pulled him into a kiss, which he eagerly returned. A moment later, she broke it off and gave him a smile that sent his heart racing in his chest. "Everything is fine. Come, we need to get the others and go through. It's safe, Harry, Draco and I made sure of it."_

 _Daryl's heart was still beating wildly in his chest, as Hermione took his hand and lead him away to the people, where they packed up everything._

 _"The village is safe and secure, there are a few survivors, but they are harmless. The place is still in a good condition, it's livable and it also has supplies," Harry explained to everyone._

 _"How do you know that they are harmless?" Rick asked confused._

 _"Trust me they are. You'll see. To get you all inside though, we, Hermione, Draco, Teddy and I will need you to get two or a maximum of three at the time. Otherwise you won't be able to see the portal or access it._

 _Everyone moved quickly inside and Harry went in first, taking Carl and Rick with him. They took a step forward, after he did some strange wand movement on the oak tree and then vanished with them. Everyone looked shocked and a little fearful, until Hermione, Draco and Teddy calmed them down. Even Scorpius and surprisingly even Andre said that it was cool, when he described what he had seen. It calmed them further down. Draco followed shortly with Michonne, Andre and Scorpius. Harry returned, appearing out of nowhere it seemed and they kept continuing, until it was only Hermione and Daryl left. She looked excitingly up to him and grabbed his hand, as she asked with a smile, "Ready?"_

 _But before he could even say anything, Hermione pulled him towards the tree and then suddenly he appeared in another place. A freaking village was right before him._

 _"What the hell?!" Daryl couldn't believe what he was seeing, as he looked around by circling around himself. There were colorful and weirdly shaped houses, shops, farm fields, lake, and right behind him, where the tree should be was only a wall from a shop. There were only minor damages, but nothing that couldn't be repaired, not far from them were several dead bodies, walkers he could see, wearing some wizarding clothes he had seen on pictures, when Hermione had shown him a while ago._

 _Their group looked equally excited as they wandered closer to the area. Hermione looked back at him with a wide smile, something he hadn't seen in a while. He couldn't help himself as he pulled her for a deep kiss. He had missed seeing her this happy and smiling at him so beautifully._

 _"Hey, you two! Get a bloody room," Draco shouted at them, which made everyone around them laugh._

 _Hermione broke the kiss with a smile, took his hand and lead him down the street. "There were many walkers around here, even more of them were trapped in buildings. It took us a while to clean out to secure the place and that's why it took us so long to get back to you. We also found a group of survivors in hiding in a house, with several house-elves."_

 _And just there, in-front of them stood two small families._

 _Hermione pointed at an older man, with a younger boy, probably five or six years old and explained, "This is Julius and his grandson Mark." Afterwards, she nodded towards the second family, a woman with and a man around the age of their mid 30s, holding two children who looked probably around the same age as Scorpius and Andre, maybe a year younger._

 _"Brother and sister, took care of their deceased older sister's children. They have been cooped up in their place, especially when things became more dangerous and darker wizards tried to raid the village. They've lost more people during those times and since then, they tried to avoid going out. The house-elves helped as much as they could, but couldn't kill their former masters even when they turned."_

 _Hermione pointed at the small creatures, looking from the door way. They were the strangest things he had ever seen. Even more so, when they watched Hermione and Harry with wide eyes that clearly looked with adoration at them._

 _"Why are they looking at you and Harry that way?"_

 _Hermione smiled a little sheepishly and said, "They know who we are. Remember about the wizarding war, I've told you about? Well… words travelled and Harry and I became known everywhere, because of our part in it. I don't think the day would ever come where I would be happy about our fame and who we are. They instantly recognize me, because of the hair and accent," Hermione broke off and laughed before she continued, "No one knew who Harry was because of his face-bush, not until he showed them his famous scar. It was the most funny introduction ever, especially when Mark, the little boy asked why he looked like his grandpa," Hermione broke off laughing and this time Daryl joined her._

 _Daryl stopped in the middle of the road, surrounded by his family and the new members of the group, pulled Hermione in for another kiss. It was a long time, since he felt something like contentment and happiness settle into him. Not since the peaceful time in the prison, before everything went to hell. This time, he could feel it, everything would be different._

 _This time, he felt hopeful for them. For a future together with Hermione._

 _A new home for them all._

* * *

A/N: I hope you like the turn of event. It's a bit more fluffy, there won't be an Alexandria storyline here and I choose not to have Father Gabriel in this story. The decision hadn't been easy and it took me a while to figure out if Gabriel could even fit into this story. In the end, I decided against having Father Gabriel be part of it…. I'm still not sure what to think of that character, if I'm being honest.

What's your thoughts on the chapter and my choice of excluding Gabriel?

Here is my Playlist for this chapter:

Reconciliation (Walking Dead Orchestra Soundtrack)

Oats in the Water by Ben Howard

Runaway by Aurora


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: Thank you all so much for all the support you have given for this story. I'm happy that so many people have come to enjoy the story.

I also wanted to thank uoduck for her amazing help in editing this story. You are the best!

Here is the last chapter of The Weight of My Heart. I hope you like it!

And Happy Easter (for those who celebrate it )

* * *

Chapter 10

* * *

Daryl looked down at the sleeping woman in his arms and smiled softy at her. Finding this place had been the best thing that could have ever happened to them. A place he could call home and had everything they needed to settle down permanently, despite its weird name, Greenpeach Town. They had soon learned why the town was called that way, after they had discovered a small field of strangely shaped trees that grew green peaches, which tasted something like a mix of apple and peach.

Everyone had been excited when they came to realize that they could finally settle down. That the running was finally over. Even those who had been resident in the town, began to warm up to the group soon enough.

On the first evening of their arrival, they all had thrown a party in the open with a big bona fida fire and music that sounded just too strange to most of them, but seeing Hermione smiling and singing along, he hadn't mind it and just laughed at the display.

It had been for the first time that they didn't have to worry about being too loud, being surrounded by danger, having to be on guard and the best thing of all, they didn't hear or smell any walkers anymore. He still remembered how strange that had been at first. It was something he had never believed to ever experience again.

After the little party, the locals of the town had helped the group to settle into two empty houses that were next to each other, until they could clean out the other buildings for them to settle in and begin their new life… His life with Hermione.

* * *

 _Daryl held Hermione's hand as he walked with her to their room, where they would be sleeping for the night. He still couldn't believe the place they had found. Hermione had told him a lot about the magical places she had lived in or those she had visited. He had sometimes wondered, how it would be to go to these kind of places with her, but never did he imagine that he would actually come to a place like this. Live in a freaking magical house that was huge. From the outside, it just looked like a two story house, similar in size as the house at the graveyard, but once inside it was even bigger, like double or three times bigger._

 _His eyes kept looking around the place. There were moving pictures, talking paintings, strange trinkets that moved and shaped, while his eyes kept going back to the tiny creature, a house-elf that led them to their rooms. Hermione thanked the little thing and it disappeared with a snip of her or his fingers, after saying something to Hermione that he barely paid attention to. He still wasn't sure what gender the elf was and the name wasn't helping either._

 _Hermione moved into the room and pulled Daryl gently with her, before she closed the door. The room was huge and had everything a bedroom should have, well from what he had seen from movies or TV-shows. There were two other doors at the place and he quickly went to investigate, needing to make sure that it was safe, even when Hermione, Harry and Draco told them that it was. He wouldn't let his guard down. Didn't believe that he would do so anytime soon._

 _The first door was a large walk in closet with no windows and his mind instantly went through the possibility of a safe spot if they ever needed it. The next door, which was almost next to it, led to a large and very clean bathroom. Looking around, he had to admit that he had never seen a cleaner bathroom in his life. Hermione was right next to him and gave him a playful smile that instantly got his attention. She went to the large shower cabin and turned moved the knobs around, until it sprang to life._

 _"It's warm," Hermione said and turned back to him, biting her lips playfully again. "Want to take a shower together?"_

 _Daryl immediately put his crossbow away and pulled Hermione in for a slow kiss, silently giving her his answer. He broke the kiss gently and looked down at her face. His hand caressed her face softly before he took her lips for another slow kiss. His heart began to pick up its pace with each touch and kiss they gave each other._

 _Daryl pulled away, after a moment and began to slowly remove Hermione's leather jacket, the one he had found for her, before they had lost the prison. He had loved her seeing in it. Hermione followed suit and removed his jacket. They didn't speak or say anything as they slowly undressed each other and only paused when they caught a new scar or bruise, which they slowly kissed or touched gently._

 _Even with all the dirt, bruises and scars, Hermione was still the most beautiful woman to him, especially when she began to blush and kept gently biting her lower lip, while smiling at him. He knew what had caused the reaction in her, which made him chuckle in return. He wasn't able to stop himself from getting hard when she stood before him completely naked._

 _Hermione gently took his hand and opened the shower door. A wave of warm steam out came out and they quickly went inside and let themselves soaked by the warm and clean water. He groaned with pleasure as the warm water his body and when he felt his arousal brush against Hermione's belly. Daryl took a step closer to her and brushed his body against her wet one. Touching her face moving her wet hair from her face and his heart leaped in his chest, seeing the soft smile and love in her eyes._

 _Hermione took a bottle from the stand poured a decent amount on a washcloth and began to wash him slowly. He was tempted to snag the cloth and clean her first, but when her free hand began to touch his body and go along the way she was cleaning and massaging he moaned in pleasure. The smell of clean soap and her touch was just too perfect, it rendered him motionless as he soaked in her touch. She moved over his chest, arms, then his back, which had made him tense at first. He knew Hermione had seen and touched the scars on his back numerous times, but there was still this small part of him that felt ashamed and didn't want her to see the damage._

 _He closed his eyes when he felt kisses along the base of his neck and her hands gently touching across his back, not only over his scars. It calmed him down. Her touch always calmed him down. She moved back before him and gave him one her playful smirks before she moved her hands to his very hard member. Daryl groaned as she moved her hand and clothes around his member and before he could lose it, he snagged the washcloth away and muttered with a quick kiss, "My turn."_

 _He poured another dose of soap on then began to repeat the cleaning on her body. Daryl moved along her neck, chest, breast, stomach, her hands and arms. Hermione's breath increased with each touch and he couldn't help himself as he let his soaped hands find her center and play with her folds. She was soaking wet, which wasn't from the shower and as he played with her clit, she moaned deeply, which was his undoing. All his control vanished. He just had to have her here and now. Without a word, he pulled her flushed against his body and kissed her deeply._

 _One hand was playing with silky folds, while his other hand was buried in her wet hair. He couldn't get enough of her lips, this kiss or her taste. He never wanted to get enough of his witch. She was everything he could have dreamed for. The steam from the hot water, gave everything a more dreamlike moment, which pulled him deeper into the haze of his own need for his woman._

 _Daryl let his tongue brush against hers repeatedly, which left her shuddering against his lips. He loved teasing that mouth and could spend hours just doing that. He gently nipped on her lips, while she tried to catch his lips for another kiss, at the same time as he moved his hips and rubbed his erection close to her center, distracting her further as she moaned breathlessly against his mouth._

 _He knew it was driving her crazy. It was driving him crazy, but he loved seeing her flushed, shaking and hungry for his touch. He would never get tired of seeing her like that._

 _"Daryl," she breathed pleadingly and he couldn't keep up the teasing any longer. He kissed her deeply and groaned against her mouth._

 _He moved his hands down to her hips, bent a little, grabbed her bottom and pulled her up. Hermione immediately wrapped her legs and arms around his body, just as he pushed her up and against the shower wall. He freed one hand and swiftly grabbed her his throbbing member and placed it between her folds. He broke the kiss and watched her face change into a pleasure, as he slowly entered her. Her back arched, trying to push him further, as her lips parted and she moaned his name. Upon hearing his name, he pushed completely inside her and moaned her name in return. He pulled her for another deeper kiss, as he slowly thrust into her._

 _The water was still beating against his back, while he made love to Hermione. It had been too long since they were able to be together and simply worship her body. He kept the pace slow and steady, increased it only when he wasn't able to hold his own need back anymore. Hermione broke the kiss and moaned deeply, as she ached her back, before she wrapped herself more tightly against him. Her body was flush against him, as Daryl began to thrust faster and harder inside her. Hermione moaned against his neck. Said his name breathlessly and then she clenched around him hard. Pulling him along her own pleasure, as the familiar feeling of a gripping charge made him release in an almost forceful and uncontrollable way inside of her. Daryl closed his eyes and moaned Hermione's name, as the wave of pleasure came crushing down on him. Daryl leaned his hand against the wall, when his legs began to tremble from his own release._

 _Both held each other tightly, while they were savoring the feeling. Hermione panted against his neck, as her head leaned on his shoulder, which sent pleasant shivers down his body._

 _"I love you," he spoke, as he placed kisses along her shoulder._

 _"And I love you," she said and kissed his neck gently._

 _"I wanna marry you… I'm done waiting," he confessed after a moment. Hermione looked up at him with a soft smile on her face, her eyes bright and skin beautifully flushed, which was all he needed to continue. "I want you to be mine and me yours. We've got all our people here… we can make a small party, that is if you-"_

 _Hermione cut his words by kissing him gently and Daryl's heart calmed down. She broke the kiss gently and said, "I don't need a grand celebration. All I need is you and as you said, our family is here as well. That's all we need."_

 _She bit her lips and looking a little sheepish, before she asked, "When do you want to do it?"_

 _Daryl shrugged, trying to hide his nervousness, while at the same time, trying to control his arousal as he felt himself getting hard inside of Hermione again. Hermione's lips partnered a little and gasped, when Daryl thrust a little inside of her again. Daryl closed the distance and kissed her soft lips softly._

 _"How about tomorrow?" Daryl asked, as he pulled a little away from the kiss._

 _"I like tomorrow," was all she said, before she kissed him deeply._

* * *

Daryl looked at the night stand, where a framed moving picture of their wedding day stood. He remembered how nervous and worried he had been that day, especially when he had waited for Hermione at the small altar, which Draco, Leah and Leo had set up. Leah and Leo were the siblings who had taken care of the twins of their deceased brother and sister-in-law and had been all too happy to help with the wedding.

Daryl had of course noticed the eyes Leo had made to Hermione in the beginning, but that had thankfully stopped when he had unmistakably realized that she was taken. Especially, after Hermione had announced at breakfast the very next morning, that the two of them wanted to marry the same day. Everyone had been happy about the news and offered to help.

By sunset, the whole wedding preparation had been ready. Daryl had actually thought that it would be something small, maybe something similar to what Maggie and Glenn had, back at the prison, but once the wedding was mentioned, everyone wanted to butt in and help. In hindsight, he was grateful for their help, even though he really hated the spotlight and attention on him.

He still recalled the first thought he had, when Hermione had shown up, in her long white dress, that hugged her body tightly until it flooded down her hips and fell all the way to the ground, that he was one lucky bastard to have her love him. She had literally stolen his breath away, the moment he saw her and when she stood before him, he couldn't help himself, but pull her into a deep kiss. Everyone had laughed and teased them to wait until they were officially married.

Hershel and Julius, the older man from the village, made the wedding ceremony together, apparently it wasn't an unusual thing for non-magical and magical weddings. Hershel had said a few words from the bible, before Julius took over and finished the wedding ceremony by making it a magical binding, which included magical wedding rings that would always help them find each other.

Daryl had wanted the binding ceremony, after Hermione had told him about the myth said behind this ritual. It was said, that the couple would be bound by soul and heart to be with each other in this, after and next life. Their souls would always find a way to be together, no matter where or when they would meet again and he liked the idea of it. He secretly wondered, if this wasn't already the case with him and Hermione.

How great were the chances that Hermione would be living in Atlanta, moving from England after facing so much scorn for being who she was and her connection to Draco and Harry, for the world to go to shit a few years later, only to find each other in the chaos of the walking dead, in middle of the woods?

Daryl knew he would never get an answer to this question. He was just thankful for having Hermione in his life.

There had been this moment, right after they had spoken their binding vows and kissed his wife officially for the first time that he felt for the first time in his life complete. It was like a warm rush going through his body that made his heart skip a beat or two. It was like a part of him had been missing, which he hadn't even known was missing in the first place. When they had pulled away from their first kiss, after the loud applause and catcalls from their audience, he looked into her eyes and knew that from her expression on her face that she had felt the same thing. But what took his breath away and made him go for another kiss, much to the amusement of their guests, had been the way she looked at him. It was like seeing the same love he felt for her. Hell, if possible, he had fallen in love with her even more in that moment.

After they were able to stop 'snogging each other rotten', as Draco had put it, they threw a little party, which was a little bigger than their first night of their arrival. Everyone danced, ate, drank and simply had fun. Even though dancing wasn't his thing, he simply excused it to himself and anyone who tried to tease him that he liked holding his wife. It had earned him a few kisses, from Hermione in return, while the others left their teasing comments.

It had been a beautiful wedding.

Every day, every moment for the past three years, he had been married to Hermione was absolutely perfect. He loved her so much that it sometimes scared him. Even after all these times, he worried to lose her or fails to keep her safe. He knew that these fears would probably never leave him, as long as he lived.

He knew his fears were unfounded, especially with the protections that had been placed around this town.

Shorty, after the wedding, Hermione, Harry and Draco had planned with their group and the locals on how to get this place more secure. Of course Julius, Leah and Leo swore up and down that the place was safe and the wards were old magic, but Hermione had quickly pointed out the flaws this place still had. Wards could be brought down and the place could be found by other wizards and witches, which apparently had happened a few times, before their group had shown up. The other wizards and witches had been dangerous and a threat to their family and people. Several had died during those days.

Afterwards, it was enough to get the two wizards and the witch on board to build stronger protections. At first, they had created a physical wall around the whole town, right before the wards would begin, as a second line of defense. They went several feet up and even on the highest rooftop of the house, it wasn't possible to see over the wall. The entrance point held another security point, where only those who were keyed into it would be able to pass through, meaning, only Hermione, Harry, Draco, Teddy, Julius, Leah and Leo, those who had a wand. Anyone else needed one of the witches or wizards to be able to come and go from the town.

After they had built the thick wall around the place, they had added complicated runes all over the wall. They cast them in a specific pattern, branded the runes into the stone, which made the wall impossible to break. They had actually tested it with several explosive spells and guns, but there hadn't been even a scratch. Afterwards, they had worked out a way to strengthen the magical wards at the place. Even with magic, it had taken them almost three months to get the security around the town completely set.

In the meantime, everyone else begun to help where they could, by cleaning the houses, even when the house-elves had tried to stop them. Soon, people had begun to find in their own places and settled in. He and Hermione took a house right next to Harry's and Rick's, where Teddy and Carl were also staying.

It had taken many people a while to really relax, which they could finally do after the wards and wall had been set up. It was like, a huge wave of relief had settled over everyone, and people began to spread out and try to make it livable around the place.

Everybody had begun to contribute wherever they could and found things they could work with. Farming the fields, running the shops, helping in the healer's practice, opening a school for the kids, which had self-defense and survival training classes and anything else around the place had to provide or the people needed. Even the growing kids, Teddy, Carl, Beth and Sophia had begun to help around more. Not that they were kids anymore.

It was to no ones surprised that Teddy and Beth ended up together, as did Carl and Sophia. Daryl remembered the teasing both couples had gotten, especially from Hermione, who teamed up with Carol to give those four a lecture in safe sex. He still recalled their horrified and red faces, in Teddy's case, red head, when Hermione went methodically about that topic. Daryl was sure that Hermione did this on purpose by embarrassing them on purpose, especially when those two women began to drill the kids about the nature of hormones and the few times they had been caught sneaking around, pointing out who had caught them. It had only mortified the kids more, much to Daryl's amusement.

Now, nothing fazed those once teenage couples anymore.

Life had been great ever since they had found this place. Everything was safe and secure. There was no fear of losing everything or anyone to the walkers or crazy people at any time.

The only times something ever happened, was when he went for hunting trips with Hermione, or Draco and Michonne, or Harry. They weren't only there as a back-up, but also to be able to return back to Greenpeach Town. They still needed to eat meat, even if they had other foods to survive on. Over the time they had found find animals to keep at the farm, but hadn't been enough to live on them solely.

On those hunting trips, they would stumble upon walkers, or even people. Most of them they couldn't take the risk of taking them back to their town, especially when they saw how shady and dangerous they looked. A few times, they had met somewhat normal people, who either wanted to go on or asked for help and were taken in. Of course, Hermione, Harry and Draco, began to take all kinds of safety measures with them from Veritaserum interrogations to monitoring the newcomers. It had taken them a while to settle down, which had been a little difficult when faced with the possibility of magic, but they did in the end.

Twice they had come across magical people, which had made everyone even more nervous. Once, it was a small magical family who were harmless, but the other time, they had to handle it the hard way, especially, when they tried to attack them and the town.

Beside these hunting trips, life had been peaceful, for the first time in Daryl's life.

His thoughts got interrupted, when he heard a baby cry coming from the monitor that stood on the night table, next to their bed. Hermione moved with a groan upon hearing the sound, but Daryl placed a quick kiss on her forehead and said, "I've got this. Go back to sleep."

Daryl slowly untangled himself from his wife, who had fallen back to sleep and placed another kiss on her cheek, before he stood up walked across the hall to his son's nursery. He swiftly crossed the room to the crib and looked down, only to find his 6 months old son, who rolled down on his belly, and had pushed himself to his hands and knees.

Daryl gently grabbed his son from the crib, who immediately stopped crying as Daryl gave him a kiss on his forehead, "Shouldn't you be sleeping, Lil' Tyke."

He held him close to his chest, as he walked towards the changing table and began the morning routine. Daryl gently placed him on the table, while he softly talked to his son, while he changed his diaper.

It amazed him every time when he looked at the child, only to be reminded that it was his son. Hermione and his son. He chuckled a little, when he remembered the first time, Hermione had told him about their son's arrival.

* * *

 _Daryl had been worried about his wife for a week now. Something was wrong, he just knew it. Hermione looked tired and pale. Daryl couldn't remember ever seeing her this way, but what really irked him was that she refused to take potions to heal herself. A few others had also noted that Hermione was looking seriously sick and it wasn't getting any better._

 _Daryl watched her eat a soup Carol had made for her, believing that it would help settle her stomach down. So far, it looked like it worked._

 _"Feel better," Daryl asked sitting next to her, watching her like a hawk as she slowly ate._

 _Hermione nodded, opened her mouth to say something, when she lost the little color she had gained. She quickly gave him the bowl of soup and ran to the bathroom. Even with the door closed was he able to hear the retching coming from the other side. Daryl quickly followed, after putting the food on the table and walked into the bathroom towards Hermione. He gently grabbed her hair and held it up, while she emptied the little food she had eaten._

 _After a moment, Hermione was done, flushed the toilet and then rinsed her mouth with a mint mouthwash that._

 _Daryl looked at her closely and touched her face. He couldn't hide the sigh of relief, when her face felt cool. The only thing that still kept him from completely freaking out was that Hermione didn't have any fever._

 _"Maybe we should have Draco or Hershel have a look at you, cause you're too stubborn to take meds," Daryl said worriedly and not able to hide the scolding in his voice._

 _"I'm not sick, Daryl."_

 _"You're kidding me?" Daryl exclaimed in disbelief. "You've been sick for a week. Can't eat anything. You're always tired. Why wont'cha take a potion or any meds?" He was becoming angry with for taking her own health so lightly. Seeing her like this was driving him crazy with worry and he just didn't want to see her like this anymore._

 _"Hermione," he sighed when he noted that her eyes filled with tears. He took a deep breath and pleaded in a calmer voice, "Just tell me what's going on, please. I hate seeing you like this."_

 _"I… I know we haven't talked about this and I'm sure we would have at some point. I'm still not sure how it happened, to be honest with you. I think maybe it was the potion I took, when I had this headache that it messed with my other potions and that it was the reason why it stopped working. Even though, it should have happened. Maybe I should have asked about the potions I couldn't use whenever I use my potion, and-"_

 _Daryl took a step closer to her and held her face gently, making her stop babbling things that made little sense to him. He knew Hermione. He knew that whenever she was nervous that she would say anything that went through her head. It was like the spoke her line of thoughts out loud._

 _"Hermione, what's wrong?" Daryl asked in a calm voice, which barely did anything._

 _Hermione took a deep breath and said in a shaky, "I'm pregnant."_

 _Daryl's eyes widened. "What?"_

 _Hermione's eyes tore up again and continued in rushed words, "I know, we never talked about children. I mean, in the beginning we never had time or thought about talking children. Not that it means that I don't want them. I do, even though it was an accident, but I don't know what you think about it and I-"_

 _Daryl pulled her face into a deep kiss and held her close. His heart was racing at the news. He was going to be a father. A dad. And the thought sent a rollercoaster ride of emotions through him, but mostly he was happy. Hermione wrapped her arms around him and he could feel that she had finally calmed down._

 _Daryl broke the kiss gently and couldn't help the big grin widely, "I knocked y'up, even with all the potions?"_

 _Hermione laughed at his words and brushed the few tears away, "Yes, you did."_

 _"Hell yeah, I did! My boys can swim!" Daryl said happily, lifting her into his arms and circled her around, which caused Hermione to laugh even more._

 _"Can't wait to see Lil' Tyke running around!" Daryl announced, before he crushed his lips against his wife's lips._

* * *

Daryl smiled at the memory and at his son who tried to push his fist into his mouth. Daryl quickly pulled up his son's pants over the new diapers, before he lifted him up and back into his arms.

"Betcha you're hungry, ain't ya, Lil'Man?" Daryl said, kissed him on the head, as he quietly walked into the kitchen. He held his son and quickly warmed up the bottle with the breast pumped baby-milk, Hermione had kept stored in the fridge. Daryl didn't mind waking up in the morning to take care of his son in the morning. He had actually come to enjoy them. Just him and his Lil' Tyke, the new man in the house.

"Just a little moment more, all right?" Daryl spoke gently and looked at his son, who gave him a wide smile that reminded him of Hermione. "That's my man," Daryl cooed and kissed him gently on the cheek. He pulled the bottle out of the hot pan that was filled with water and checked the temperature. Satisfied with the result, Daryl walked to the living room and sat couch with his son cradled in his arm, before giving him the bottle. He immediately latched on it and began to suckle on it eagerly.

Daryl smiled down at his little baby. It was still surreal for him that he was a dad. That this little boy was part of Hermione and him. Even during Hermione's pregnancy, he couldn't believe that someone was growing inside of her. Draco, who was the most experienced with healing spells, due to Hermione's teaching in the past years, had been able to perform the spell that would allow them to see their baby. Man, had he been floored when he had seen his son for the first time this way. It wasn't a perfect view, but it was enough to discover the gender, see his son up close and even make out some features. He couldn't stop looking at their kid and had even told Draco to pull up the image again, cause he wanted to see it again. The wizard didn't object and did what he was told.

What he had also enjoyed during the pregnancy was seeing the roundness of her belly, proving that a little human was growing inside of her, but when he had felt the little kicks against his hand, had made it all too real for him. Daryl had loved those moments. He had loved seeing Hermione carrying his baby. She had looked so beautiful, all bright and glowing, which was in a literal sense. Whenever she was truly happy her skin would begin to glow a little more, to the amusement of many people. Those cravings of her where the weirdest shit had ever seen. He had thought that movies and TV shows had made those things up about woman eating pickles with chocolate, but they had nothing on his woman.

Hermione craved green peaches with hot sauce, the spicier the better. Fish with peanut butter. Thankfully, there was a lake in the town where they were actually able to get them and were able to harvest most of their food on the farm with the magical plants. Then there was those peanut butter shakes or fried oranges or lemons with cheese cream. Everyone had been disgusted by it and some others had even refused to sit close to Hermione, whenever they were eating, but Daryl didn't mind. He had actually found it quite entertaining and kept asking how it tasted. Of course, he had declined most of her offers, especially when it involved scrambled eggs with caramelized peaches and hot sauce.

He had loved every day of Hermione's pregnancy, until she went to labor and he began to freak out when he saw how much in pain she truly was. Draco tried to calm him down, telling him that this was normal, but it hadn't worked. Daryl hadn't been able to calm down, not until his son had finally shown up.

* * *

 _Daryl couldn't move his eyes from his son, as the little baby drank from Hermione's breast. He was healthy, had all toes and fingers and was simply perfect. He had a lot of dark hair on his head and he could already see that they were going to get curly, like Hermione's._

 _"He's perfect," Hermione said, as she gently brushed their son's face._

 _"He is," Daryl agreed. He didn't know that he could have ever loved anyone else beside Hermione. During the nine months of pregnancy, he had already loved his unborn baby, but seeing him here now, his heart felt like bursting with even more love. He loved his son, who still didn't have a name yet._

 _He silently watched him finish his feeding and Hermione put him gently on the shoulder, after she rightened her shirt. She rubbed his back gently, until he a little air left his mouth. Hermione smiled at Daryl and asked, "Do you want to hold him again?"_

 _"Yeah," he said, not able to form any more words. Daryl picked his son gently up and held him in the cradle of his arms. Usually, most babies had their eyes closed or barely open, but not his son. His eyes, a light blue eyes, the same color as his, were wide open and stared right back at him._

 _"Hey, Lil'Man, I'm your dad. We've been waitin' for you, y'know. Gotta tell you all about your momma's funky food cravings."_

 _"Daryl," Hermione scolded and laughed at the same time._

 _He turned and smiled at his wife, who still looked exhausted, but even more so beautiful to him. His eyes looked back on his son, who was becoming more sleepy as his eyes begun to drop._

 _"Your mum and I love you, y'know that?"_

 _Daryl pulled him up a little closer and kissed his head gently. The thought of being a father had also terrified him, but he promised himself that he would make sure that he showed his son how much he loved him, every single day. He would teach him, everything he knew and Hermione would do everything else, which was probably way more than he knew, but he didn't mind. He loved them both, his wife and son, and he would love them with his last breath and even beyond. He would prove them, his small family, that they mean the world to him._

 _"I was thinking of a name we could call him," Hermione spoke gently, which made Daryl look back at her and waited for her to continue. "Brendan Steve. A form of Brenda, to honor your mum and for my dad."_

 _Daryl's heart if possible made another leap in his chest and he wondered not for the first time and probably not for the last time, what he did to deserve someone like her in his life. He leaned closer and kissed Hermione softly on the lips and said, "It's perfect."_

 _Daryl looked down and the now sleeping baby in his arm and held him a little towards Hermione and said, "Brandon Steve Dixon. I like it. It's a badass name." Hermione laughed lightly next to him._

 _"I love you, Daryl," Hermione said sincerely._

 _"And I love you, Hermione," he replied and kissed her on the lips, which were a little swollen from all the lip biting in the labor._

 _Their little moment ended, when Draco showed up again, with half the town in tow, who wanted to greet the newest addition._

* * *

"That's my boy," Daryl said proudly, after Brendan finished his bottle. He quickly placed the empty bottle on the table, before he moved his son over his shoulder and stood up. He walked slowly around as he rubbed his son's back gently.

"Did'cha mum tell you that you're going to be a big brother soon? Betcha didn't see that one comin', Lil' Tyke," Daryl spoke softly. He was still completely overwhelmed and happy about the news of Hermione being pregnant again. He still couldn't believe it.

Daryl smiled, remembering the way Hermione had announced that she was pregnant again.

* * *

 _Daryl walked back into the house and greeted his wife with a kiss. He had noted that she looked exhausted and tired, which he hated seeing her like this. Without another word, he took Brendan from her arms and told her to rest, while he took care of their son._

 _"Are you exhausting your momma, Littl' Man?" Daryl asked his son, who was about to fall asleep, against his chest. He walked slowly towards Brendan's room, kissed his now sleeping son's forehead, before Daryl put Brendan into his crib. With a last glance at his sleeping son, Daryl left the door open and walked back to the living room. He sat next to Hermione and pulled her into his arms._

 _"You ok? I can get Draco, if you want."_

 _Hermione shook her head against his chest, before she pushed away and sat up straight. She looked pale, while biting her lip nervously._

 _"Something wrong?" Daryl asked, knowing that something was up._

 _"Yes, no… not wrong. Unexpected, yes. I honestly don't know how it could have happened. I mean I took the potions just like I usually did, maybe Draco mucked it up. Maybe he did it on purpose? I wouldn't put it past the little ferret to do something like that," she said and scolded angrily, "He probably did it to have a laugh or win some bloody bet. Oh, when I get my hand on that pale blonde good for nothing bimbo, I will make sure that he won't be able to perform anything anymore-"_

 _Daryl gently stopped her plotting of Draco's demise by gently grabbing her face and making her look back at him and ask, "What happened?"_

 _All he knew so far is that Draco had messed up a potion._

 _"I- I don't know how to tell you this, Daryl. We just got Brendan and we are still getting in the role of being parents. It's not that I regret it or anything, but this is such a big surprise and I-"_

 _"Wait!" Daryl cut her off, as his heart began to beat a mile a minute. "Are you- Are you saying, you're pregnant?"_

 _"Yes," Hermione said finally and muttered under her breath, "I really need to find a way to say it without babbling."_

 _"For real? I knocked you up again?" Daryl's eyes widened and grinned happily at his woman._

 _Seeing Daryl's reaction calmed her immediately down and smiled in return, "Yes, I'm pregnant again."_

 _Daryl didn't let her say anything else, as he pulled her closer for a deep kiss, showing her how much he loved her and the new growing addition._

* * *

"I will show you how to be a good big brother to your baby sister or brother. You need to always care and love your little sibling, just like he or she will do the same to you," Daryl said gently. Brendan burped a little and Daryl pulled him closer to his chest to look at him. His son had his blue eyes and even hair color, but Hermione's curly hair, which wasn't as wild as hers though. Hermione said that she was glad about it, but Daryl wouldn't have minded seeing his boy with a little wilder hair. He had teased Hermione that it would give their son a good bad-boy image, to which she only laughed.

Seeing his son now in his arms and knowing that another child was on the way, made him happy and a bit worried. He wanted to show his kids how to be good siblings and how to care for each other. His thoughts had drifted to Merle more often lately. He wished he could have met his son and be part of his life. Daryl knew that his brother wasn't the best person, but he knew what family should have meant and what he had known, he had thought Daryl. Merle had shown Daryl how to be loyal to his brother, even if it wasn't the best or easiest way. Before he had gotten involved with his bad friends, Merle did have his back. Daryl had trusted him and learned everything he knew to fight. Merle was part of the reason of the man Daryl had become today. Without him, he wouldn't have been able to survive for so long or begin to see their group as their family and treat them as such, even when Merle had lost his way for a long time. In the end, before he was killed all those years ago, Daryl had his real brother back.

As a kid, Daryl had wished for a happy family, but soon realized that he wouldn't have something like that. He had his brother and that had been all he needed. His death had left a small hole in him, which he knew would always be there.

Brendan's eyes began to get heavy and he knew that he would be back to sleep soon.

"I'll always be there for you. No matter what. Your mum and I will always love you and care for you," Daryl vowed not for the last time to his son. He slowly walked back to his son's bedroom and put him gently in it, after he fell asleep. Daryl stayed for a moment and just watched his son sleep. He still couldn't believe that another child would be here in less than 9 months and that he would become a father again.

So much had changed in the last years for their people here in town. Michonne and Draco had a baby girl, with the cutest coloring possible, light brown skin with Draco's blond hair and grey eyes. It was like the wizard's gene had punched his way through, as Harry liked to refer to it.

Harry and Rick were still together and happy. Carl and Teddy had moved in with their girlfriends, after getting a lecture from Hershel and Carol. The boys had looked terrified, which had been hilarious to see. But the most funny thing had been when just a few months before Brendan's birth, Hermione kept showing up at those young couple's places, reminding them the responsibility of safer sex and showing the hormonal side of her pregnancy, which he still believed was mostly an act.

Now that Hermione was pregnant again, Daryl wondered if Hermione would do something like that again. He wouldn't mind seeing that though.

Sasha and Bob had two kids so far. Tyreese dated one of the new additions who had joined the town, two years ago. Carol was actually together with Leo, and his sister, Leah had actually hooked up with Tara. Daryl hadn't seen that one coming. Ford and Rosita stayed together and just last year, they had their first kid. Eugene got together with another woman, and together they had a son, a year ago and so far, it looked steady.

Glenn and Maggie had three kids. What no one had known was, that Maggie had been pregnant when they had found the Greenpeach Town. They had been so far the largest family. That is if Hermione and Daryl kept up the accident pregnancies or how he liked to think of it as 'surprise-babies'. He once heard about a betting pool about the couples around them and how many babies who would have… not that Hermione knew about it.

Everything began to work out for their group. The schools, mixed with magical and non-magical kids were running and working.

Daryl had wondered if his kids would be magical and he had actually worried what Hermione thought about it. She just told him that as long as they were healthy, that she didn't care. She loved them regardless. It was a relief for him. He didn't want her to regret having non-magical children. Daryl actually hoped that his kids would become magical. It would give them more ability to protect themselves. But they would only know in the next years, when they become older and their magic could manifest within them.

Draco, on the other hand believed that their kids were definitely magical, especially, with the weird food cravings Hermione had, bursts of accidental magic, glowing skin and during the labor, where she had expressed more accidental magic than ever. It was only in theory, Draco had explained to Daryl that those things were usually signs of giving birth to a magical child. It wasn't foolproof and a magical core could also be permanently damaged by dark magic or dangerous accidents. The blonde wizard had told him this, after Daryl caught him alone and asked Draco about the possibility of his son being a wizard. Draco hadn't even looked worried, only said that any kid from Hermione would be a witch or wizard. She was by far, one of the most powerful and talented witches he had ever known. Daryl secretly hoped that he was right.

With a last glance at his son, Daryl walked back to his and Hermione's bedroom and crawled under the blanket. Just as he had settled back in, Hermione closed the distance and rested back on his chest, while she was still fast asleep. She always moved close to him during her sleep. It was as if she knew he was there and needed the touch, just like he needed it. He loved it how she sought him out whenever she slept. He was pretty sure that he did the same thing as well, since he often woke up with his arms wrapped around her.

Daryl gently kissed her head and took a deep breath, taking in her scent. It was still surreal how much his life had changed in the last 5 years. He had never believed or hoped to have such a life. A wife. A son. Another baby on the way. A family.

Even a future was now possible for all of them.

* * *

 _"Whose your favorite uncle, Lil' Tyke?" Daryl asked holding his son up to both Harry and Draco, who began to make silly faces, trying to get Brendan to choose one of them. His son only smiled and laughed at them, especially, after Draco made bubbles come out of his mouth._

 _"Hey! That's cheating, Malfoy!" Harry exclaimed annoyed. For some reason Harry and Draco used their last names, whenever they got angry, annoyed or pissed at each other._

 _Draco only rolled his eyes and said, while smiling at Brendan, "You're just annoyed cause you didn't think of that first. See, another reason why it's good to be a Slytherin. We are cunning and ambitious, Potter."_

 _"Sneaky and cheaty, that's what you mean."_

 _Draco raised an eyebrow at the wizard and asked, "Cheaty isn't even a word."_

 _"It is now!" Harry said stubbornly._

 _"You're such a Gryffindor. Brawny and brainless."_

 _"Hey!" Hermione scolded, which only made his three months old son laugh more._

 _"You are clearly the exception, Hermione," Draco said calmly. "The barmy hat didn't know what it was thinking putting you with these… barbarians."_

 _Several people laughed at the banter of the three as they sat together at Daryl's and Hermione's house. Daryl, Rick and Michonne stayed out of their little verbal fights and enjoyed the day. Judith, who was almost 4 years old, colored happily next Andre and Scorpius who were playing a magical card game. Michonne held her daughter, Celeste, who was a little over a year old. She played with a magical plush that looked like a dragon, while giggled at the motion it made._

 _They laugher were stopped, when Teddy and Carl burst through the room, holding a magical radio._

 _"They found it!" Teddy shouted, "They have a cure!"_

 _Instantly everyone was alert and wanted to know what was going on. Daryl paced the room with Brendan in his arms, while he listened to the radio, Teddy had turned on._

 _"It's true, dear listeners. As of today, the muggle organization WHO, also known as the World Health Organization in Geneva and Ireland have been able to find a cure that immunizes the human body from wounds inflicted by the undead. Testing still needs to be done on the magical people, but it looks promising. Our healers, potioneers and unspeakables with whom we were able to get in contact with, believe that this cure is also effective on any witches and wizards._

 _"This… this is a glorious day for us all out there," the man on the radio spoke in a shaky emotional voice. "The past five years, had been the worst in human history. By now, those who survived experiences the worst and most horrific years, since the dead began to rise, lost friends, families, saw death, fighting for their freedom and life's… and now… we can hope for a future again. Stay strong, wherever you are, it's over soon. We still don't know how everything began. Not even the muggles, who still fight and researched for the cure, could find out how it happened. Maybe we will never know how all this had happened, but there is hope for us and that's all we need. A second chance._

 _"For all of you, who just signed in. Yes, it's true, dear listeners. The muggle organization WHO, also known as the World Health Organization in Geneva and Ireland have been able to find a cure. Now, we have a Healer Cheng with us, with whom we will talk about why he believes that the cures works on the magical people…"_

* * *

Everyone had been beyond happy about the news of a cure. It would take months, until the cure would reach them, possibly by magical means, but all that mattered was that the possibility of a future was becoming real.

Maybe one day, in a few years, his children could venture out without seeing any walkers. They knew that life wouldn't be the same again. It would probably take even more time to repair the damage and make the streets safe again, but Daryl knew deep down, that he wouldn't be able to trust the outside world again. Hell, he didn't even trust it before the dead decided to walk around and turn everything to shit.

The only place Daryl could ever call home was right here with his family, in this small magical town. It was peaceful, safe and he trusted everyone in this place. It was his own slice of heaven and he wouldn't give it up for the world.

Daryl looked down at his sleeping wife and pulled her a little closer, before he closed his own eyes. He knew with every beat of his heart that Hermione was the true reason and the key to his happiness. She was the weight of his heart. The love of his life, in this world and any other.

* * *

The End.

* * *

A/N: So, this is it. I hope you enjoyed it. :) Let me know what your thoughts are to this chapter :)

I also wanted to point out that even though this story will have the status of 'complete' there will be a bonus chapter at some point. I don't know when I will be able to write it, since my RL is a bit chaotic at the moment, leaving me little time to write. BUT there will be a bonus chapter in the future.

Also, here is my playlist for this chapter:

Legendary Lovers by Katy Perry

Unconditionally by Katy Perry (again)

Mirrors by Justin Timberlake


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